Prescription drugs can be incredibly helpful when it comes to treating serious health conditions and ailments. Just because a drug is available via prescription, however, does not necessarily mean that it is safe. And, perhaps, one of the most glaring examples of this comes in the form of addictive prescription painkillers, which may be creating bigger problems and health issues for people than the underlying conditions they are intended to treat.
In fact, growing concerns over the addiction problem caused by prescription painkillers has spurred the the FDA and pharmaceutical industry to pull back the reigns on legal opioids in a number of ways. Highlight this concern, a recent report published in the Economist explained that:
Overdoses from heroin, prescription drugs, and opioid painkillers have overtaken car accidents to become the leading cause of injury-related deaths in America.
A Look at How Dangerous Painkillers & Opioid Prescriptions Can Be
According to some of the latest data From the National Institute on Drug Abuse:
- In 2014, overdoses from heroin, prescription drugs, and opioid pain killers have been responsible for nearly 29,000 deaths.
- From 2001 to 2014, heroin overdose deaths have increased six-fold.
- Approximately 125 people die every day from drug overdoses; 78 of those deaths are from heroin alone.
- These figures are so startling that they are being compared to the number of HIV deaths in the late 1980s and 1990s.
What to Do If You Believe You’ve Been Harmed by a Dangerous Drug
If you believe that you (or a loved one) have been developed health complications as a result of using a potentially dangerous drug (prescription or over-the-counter), here’s what will be important to do:
- Seek immediate medical attention – Before you stop using the drug (or try to alter your dose), see a doctor ASAP to find out if the changes in your health may have been triggered by the drug in question.
- Look into alternative drug options – Talk to your doctor about alternative medications that may be more suitable to you and your condition.
- Report the adverse health effects to the FDA – If you were, in fact, harmed by a dangerous drug, making a report to the FDA’s Adverse Reporting System (FARS) can be helpful to alerting authorities about the problems with a medication (and the more reports made to FARS, the more likely it is that the FDA will initiate its own investigation – and maybe even provide new warnings about drug risks to prevent others from being harmed by the drug)
- Contact an attorney ASAP – An attorney can review the details of your situation and inform you of your best options for financial recovery.
Contact a St Louis Personal Injury Lawyer at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law
If you or someone you love has been injured by a dangerous medication or medical device, call a St Louis personal injury lawyer at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law at 573-333-3333 for our Missouri office or at 618-888-8888 for our Illinois office. You can also email us using the form at the right-hand side of the screen.
When you contact our firm, you can get clear answers about your rights and options for recovery. You can also secure exceptional legal representation at no upfront legal cost. Our lawyers are ready to fight for you, help you protect your rights, and help you succeed in your financial recovery.
