Consumers today are more informed than ever about the potential risks associated with a variety of products. Medication typically tops the list of products about which the public has expressed concern. While people understand that drugs are necessary to treat medical conditions, they worry about suffering harm caused by faulty medication.
Doctors often prescribe several different medications before zeroing in on the one that best benefits a patient. This means that a patient may be taking drugs they know very little about. In best-case scenarios, a doctor discloses everything he or she may know when prescribing a different drug. However, many Tennessee patients want to learn more to cut down the risk of injury caused by possibly defective drugs.
The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) aims to inform people about the facts behind medicines they have never taken before. One of the tools offered on the FDA’s website is a database containing information about drugs. If you type in the name of the medication, the site’s search engine will return any publications surrounding the drug. In most cases, this includes fact sheets as well as data about a drug’s approval process. You can even find discover which drugs have been recalled by visiting the FDA online.
Although responsibility for drug safety lies on the shoulders of pharmaceutical manufacturers, it is wise for consumers to look deeper at all medications they consume. While this cannot always keep you safe from defective drugs, staying informed may reduce your risk of injury. When harm or serious injury has already occurred, it may be in your best interests to discuss the details of your case with an attorney.