Call Us 239.542.7101 ☰ ˟
239.542.7101
Logo
  • Home
  • What We Offer
    • Business Insurance
    • Workers Compensation
    • Liability Insurance
    • Bonds
    • Commercial Auto Insurance
    • Employee Benefits
    • Business Life & Disability
    • Life Insurance
    • Personal Insurance
    • Specialty Programs
    • HR Support
  • Client Services
    • Client Services
    • Make a Payment
  • News & Information
    • Newsletters & Alerts
    • Disaster Relief Links
    • Safety Resources
    • Helpful Links
  • Blog
  • About Us
    • About Premier Insurance
    • Testimonials
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Join Our Newsletter
Home > Blog > 411: Drug Recalls & Consumer Safety
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2018

411: Drug Recalls & Consumer Safety

411: Drug Recalls & Consumer Safety

November 5, 2018

How to make sure your medication has not been recalled, and what to do if it has.

Caitlin Hoff is health and safety investigator with ConsumerSafety.org, CDC Certified: Health Literacy for Public Health Professionals.

This past summer, major news coverage was dedicated to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recall of a common generic blood pressure medication. With more than a third of our country living with high blood pressure, this was a troubling recall for many Americans. It also raised a great number of questions surrounding drug safety in the wake of the FDA announcement. To answer some of those questions, here is what you should know about consumer drug recalls.

A drug recall can be voluntarily issued by the manufacturer if they discover a problem with their product or issued by the FDA if credible evidence of a problem is found. Regardless of where the recall originates, most drugs are recalled for one of five main reasons:

  • If a drug poses a previously unknown health risk to consumers, it’s safe to say that it will be recalled. While all medications come with potential side effects, the health benefits should outweigh the risks.
  • A drug may be recalled if the labeling or packaging is misleading or faulty. Because patients are typically self-administering prescription drugs at home without the help of a doctor, the instructions and packaging need to be easy to read and understand. If not, it may threaten the health of patients by creating more instances for user error.
  • If a drug or its ingredients have been contaminated, like with processed food items, a recall will be issued. This was the reason for the recalled blood pressure medication this past summer. Several manufacturers of the drug’s active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) valsartan, found carcinogenic impurities in their ingredient supply. Drug companies that bought from those specific manufacturers were included in the recall.
  • A drug will be recalled if it is mislabeled. This summer gave us an example of this reason as well when a supply of a diuretic used to mainly treat congestive heart failure was mislabeled as a blood pressure medication. This sort of labeling mix-up can greatly affect a patient’s recovery or maintenance of a serious health condition.
  • If a drug’s quality is negatively affected by a manufacturing issue, it can be cause enough for a recall. The drug’s quality must meet certain standards to ensure effectiveness and safety for patients.

If you believe you might be taking a medication that has been recalled, it’s important to double-check. The FDA will publish a list of all affected medications; you can compare your own prescription against this list using the following identifiers:

  • Company Name
  • National Drug Code (NDC)
  • Lot Number

If you can’t find this information on your prescription bottle, call your local pharmacist and they will be able to provide you with the necessary information.

Once you have determined that your prescription medication was recalled, consult with your doctor on the best course of action. Do not stop taking your prescription medication unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Promptly stopping a medication, even one that has been recalled, could endanger your health even more. Talk to your doctor about alternative medications and follow their instructions to safely make the shift from one medication to the other.

As you take your new medication, you should monitor your body closely for any adverse side effects from the new drug. If you experience harmful side effects or wish to report an issue with the quality of your medication, feel free to use the FDA’s MedWatch Voluntary Reporting Form. The FDA relies on these consumer complaints and critical feedback to track faulty or potentially dangerous drugs.

Posted 11:00 AM

Tags: drug recall
Share |


No Comments


Post a Comment
Required
Required (Not Displayed)
Required


All comments are moderated and stripped of HTML.

NOTICE: This blog and website are made available by the publisher for educational and informational purposes only. It is not be used as a substitute for competent insurance, legal, or tax advice from a licensed professional in your state. By using this blog site you understand that there is no broker client relationship between you and the blog and website publisher.
Blog Archive
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013

  • employee benefits(106)
  • business insurance(98)
  • fort myers insurance(80)
  • insurance(72)
  • fort myers business insurance(55)
  • cape coral insurance(45)
  • cape coral(42)
  • fort myers(42)
  • workers comp(41)
  • wellness(38)
  • business(32)
  • health insurance(32)
  • covid-19(28)
  • motivational monday(22)
  • workers compensation(21)
  • wellness wednesday(21)
  • coronavirus(19)
  • health(19)
  • group health(16)
  • fort myers employee benefits(16)
  • commercial insurance(15)
  • hr(13)
  • cape coral business insurance(11)
  • group insurance(10)
  • group benefits(9)
  • liability(9)
  • cape coral employee benefits(8)
  • life insurance(8)
  • fort myers workers compensation insurance(8)
  • funny friday(8)
  • workers compensation insurance(8)
  • corona virus(7)
  • cyber security(7)
  • general liability(7)
  • osha(7)
  • group health insurance(6)
  • health insurance fort myers(6)
  • auto insurance(6)
  • epli(6)
  • benefits(6)
  • employee benefits design(6)
  • hurricane(5)
  • cyber liability(5)
  • business insurnace(4)
  • hurricane season(4)
  • lee county business insurance(4)
  • compliance(4)
  • florida(4)
  • hurricane preparedness(4)
  • aca(3)

View Mobile Version
Logo
Quick Links
Home Business Insurance Personal Lines Make A Payment Report a Claim About Premier
Refer A Friend Our Carriers Blog Disaster & Safety Resources Helpful Links Contact Us
Location
1326 Cape Coral Parkway E
Suite 1
Cape Coral, FL 33904

P: 239.542.7101
F: 239.542.0693
Social Social Social Social
© Copyright. All rights reserved.
Powered by Insurance Website Builder