We get our drugs from doctors and pharmacies, but they're just the last in a long line of supply. Unfortunately, the U.S. system for regulating drugs relies heavily on studies conducted by the drugs' manufacturers themselves -- those who stand to profit from selling the drug. Manufacturers are legally obligated to conduct studies before a drug is approved. In some cases, manufacturers have either missed or ignored information about their drugs' safety.
Once a manufacturer believes a drug is ready for approval, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration must approve it. To do this, the FDA will conduct its own research -- but it relies heavily on the manufacturer and may not always follow through. The agency has come under fire in recent years for failing to guard Americans' safety closely enough.
Both before and after FDA approval, medications are frequently also subject to independent studies by medical researchers. Like all scientists, doctors and pharmaceutical researchers rely on peer-reviewed studies to catch mistakes and misrepresentations by other scientists. Studies by peer reviewers in respected medical journals have been responsible for several prescription drug recalls in the last decade.
In a few cases, a doctor, pharmacist or other medical professional might carelessly give you medication that's dangerous to you because of your age, health or other medications. In this situation, a lawsuit may be an appropriate response -- but it would probably not be a dangerous drugs lawsuit. Instead, you should talk to your dangerous drugs lawyer about a malpractice lawsuit.
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