Many people in California rely on prescription and over-the-counter drugs to treat their acute and chronic conditions. Finding out that a drug you have been using was recalled can be scary. You may wonder whether you were injured by the recalled drug and worry about finding an alternative.
Why do FDA-approved drugs get recalled?
Before a drug can be sold in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration must approve the drug for its intended use. The FDA requires drugs to be tested for safety and effectiveness several times before they can be marketed. However, the FDA continues to monitor drugs in case there are any issues that weren’t identified in the clinical trials.
Sometimes, the FDA will order a drug recall after receiving concerning reports from consumers about the drug. Other times, the drug maker will voluntarily recall its product after discovering a problem, even if the FDA has not ordered a recall yet. A recall does not always mean that the drug is harmful, just that there are questions about its safety. Either way, all drugs that are recalled for product defects should be disposed of immediately.
Reasons for drug recalls
A drug may be recalled because the drug itself has been found to be a health hazard or the drug was contaminated during production. A drug can also be recalled if it is mislabeled or poorly packaged. For example, a drug that has unclear dosage instructions could be recalled even if the drug is safe for its intended use. If a drug label claims that the drug does something that it has not been FDA approved for, this mislabeling can also lead to a recall.
What to do if your drug is recalled
You should stop using a recalled drug immediately and ask your doctor about a safe alternative. If you were injured by a drug that has not been recalled, you may want to look into filing a report with the FDA.
