Category: Medication and Drugs
There’s a real concern over the staggering numbers of children prescribed antidepressants in the UK as use of the drug continues to increase.
It’s understood that the number of children prescribed antidepressants is now at more than 70,000. Of this figure, some 2,000 are understood to be children of primary school age.
We’re already in an era where doctors are thought to be overprescribing medication. A great deal of this has been linked to funding constraints. The result is that more people are using medication when alternative treatment could help them more. On top of that, some people are becoming addicted to medication. In the case of children, what about the long-term effects of drug use as well?
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There’s been a recall during the summer over valsartan cancer risks that have been identified. A recall has been triggered by regulators.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been involved in the recall process. The recall has been triggered over impurities originating from the manufacturing process in China. The impurities are understood to be linked to cancer.
Patients using heart medications that contain valsartan are being asked to speak to their doctor or pharmacist ASAP.
Worsening NHS budget issues resulting in GP prescription problems could lead to deaths for those who rely on medication to survive.
There appears to be increasing numbers of stories about patients who are being denied the prescription drugs they need to stay well or even keep alive as a result of budget constraints, or cases where patients are having to wait longer or visit their surgery more frequently as numbers of drugs issued are reduced.
Patients are being put off amidst concerns over GPs being paid to prescribe statins. The potentially life-saving medication that can lower cholesterol to avoid heart attacks and strokes is often scrutinised by patients over financial incentives GPs reportedly receive for handing them out.
There’s apparently a widely-held belief among Brits that the statins they’re given aren’t needed because of GPs being paid to prescribe statins.
Is this just a case of mistrust over GPs being paid to prescribe statins, or should patients be worried about what they’re GPs are telling them to do?
Read More “Patients puts off as GPs being paid to prescribe statins”
The Gosport Hospital deaths scandal is an absolute tragedy. The independent inquiry that families have been calling for for decades has finally taken place, and the outcome is disturbing.
According to the independent report, some 450 Gosport Hospital deaths could have been avoided and have been directly linked to dangerous opioid-use policies where patients were subjected to constant dosages of diamorphine; also known as heroine.
Dr Jane Barton, a GP who worked at Gosport Hospital for 12 years, was found to have routinely overprescribed dangerous and life-shortening opioids to patients which has led to potentially hundreds of premature deaths.
NHS drug errors can leave patients suffering serious harm, and they can also cause fatalities. Even the smallest error with a dosage or a prescription could be the difference between life and death for some, which is why the government are aiming to drastically reduce what they have labelled as “appalling levels of harm and death” related to drug errors.
We advise and represent patients who have suffered harm because of NHS drug errors. From incorrect prescription dosage claims to clients being prescribed the wrong course of treatment… If you’ve suffered harm due to an NHS drug error, you may have a claim for medical negligence.
Read More “Advice on No Win, No Fee claims for NHS drug errors”
A recent study published by Lancet says that anti-depressants work, and its believed more than a million extra people should be offered them.
Results from the studies found that all common anti-depressants were more effective than the placebos offered.
There is, however, a reported reluctance to prescribe them, and many people feel that taking pills for low mood problems are a last resort. Will the new studies serve to allay doctors’ concerns about over-prescribing medication?
Read More “Scientists say anti-depressants work, and more people should be offered them”