Most of us take prescription and over-the-counter medications at some point in our lives. We trust that the drugs our doctor prescribes or that we buy off the drugstore shelf will help make us well. We also trust that the companies who sell these drugs ensure that they are safe before they are ever sold to the public. Unfortunately, that's not always the case.

The Federal Food and Drug Administration is under constant pressure from drug manufacturers to approve drugs quickly, which in many cases proves to be premature. Many prescription drugs that undergo FDA review are given "fast track" status, which greatly reduces the time it usually takes to get drugs approved. Often, the end result is drugs are approved before all the side effects are noticed and can ultimately do much greater harm than good.
If a drug company markets a medication that is unreasonably dangerous for its users, it may be liable for injuries and damages caused by the use of that product.

Some of the more popular drugs that have been identified as
dangerous include: Fen-Phen, Baycol, Rezulin, Vioxx, and Resirdal.

Baycol is a "statin" cholesterol lowering drug that has been associated with a rare condition called, rhabdomyolysis. This condition results causes contents of muscle cells to be released into the bloodstream, which can cause kidney damage, aches, weakness, vomiting, and nausea. This drug is under voluntary withdrawal from the market.

Rezulin
Rezulin is used in the management of Type II Diabetes. This drug has been associated with liver toxicity and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked the makers to remove the drug from the market.

Vioxx
Vioxx is a prescription medicine used to relieve signs and symptoms of arthritis, acute pain in adults, and painful menstrual cycles. On September 30, 2004, Merck & Co., Inc. announced a voluntary withdrawal of Vioxx (rofecoxib) from the U.S. and worldwide market due to safety concerns of an increased risk of cardiovascular events (including heart attack and stroke) in patients on Vioxx. 

Respirdal
Respirdal (respiridone) is an anti-psychotic that disrupts the communication among the nerves in the brain. It blocks dopamine and serotonin receptors and is thought to possibly be contributing to brain toxicity.
We hope that the work we do not only gets compensation for our injured clients, but forces drug companies to do everything they can, to make sure the drugs they sell are safe. If you think you or a loved one has been injured by dangerous drugs, contact the Overholt Law Firm, PC at 910-798-5900 or toll free at 800-381-9120 or by e-mail