The Medical Negligence Blog
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Over-prescribing medicine may be fuelling drug addiction
When we think of drug addiction, most of us think of illegal drugs. However, studies have found that over-prescribing painkillers is starting a potential epidemic of people getting addicted to prescription medications.
Apparently, some manufacturers and marketers may be allegedly going above and beyond to ensure health providers underestimate the strength and prevalence of prescribed drugs. Some suggest that hospitals and pharmacies are prescribing excessively strong doses of addictive medication like opioids, fuelling a public dependency and consequential addiction.
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The U.S. opioid “crisis” and how it may be coming to the U.K.
In 1995, U.S. regulators approved a new drug called OxyContin; a highly effective opioid manufactured by Purdue Pharma. The oxycodone hydrochloride controlled-release painkiller was hailed as a wonder drug for many aches and pains, and drug manufactures have made an absolute fortune selling this drug as part of a $400 billion-a-year industry.
However, the manufactures stand accused of serious wrongdoing that helped them cement their success, namely: deceptive advertising; and excessively aggressive marketing.
That’s what the law firms suing these giant drug companies allege is happening.
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NHS Trust sent letters to terminally ill patients advertising private clinics
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been criticised for sending marketing letters to terminally ill patients advertising private clinical services.
The Trust reportedly used patients’ medical data to send hundreds of marketing leaflets advertising a private clinic, Nova Healthcare.
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Generic vs branded drugs: is there a difference?
Generic drugs and branded drugs – are the generic versions just as good as the branded ones?
Bloomberg recently reported that consumers are apparently unaware of the dangers of generic drugs that can actually cause harm to you. Generic drugs were introduced in the market as copies of brand-name drugs. They’re supposed to have the exact same dosage, intended use, effects, side-effects, method of use, risks, safety and strength as the branded drug; i.e. the same intended pharmacological effects as branded drugs.
But experts fear generic drugs are more dangerous than most people think…
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The reported rise in U.K. prescription drugs use
There’s a false perception that drug misuse comes from taking illegal highs. Reportedly, there is also a growing problem with prescription drugs that first swept the U.S., and is now possibly making its way to the U.K.
The extent of the problem is not yet known over here as there doesn’t seem to be enough data. In one example, prescriptions for opiate-based painkiller Tramadol has apparently doubled in the past decade to 24 million prescriptions annually.
So, what are we seeing here? A pandemic of overusing prescription drugs? Growing addictions to prescription drugs? Should we be worried, and what can be done?
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Statins side-effects – Researchers run tests to see if they’re real or not!
Statins are a group of drugs commonly used to combat cholesterol levels. Here in the U.K., cardiovascular disease (CVD), otherwise known as ‘heart disease’, is a common cause of death. There are several types of CVD including coronary heart disease, angina and heart attacks. All can occur due to blood flow being restricted from getting to the heart.
Statins help to lower cholesterol, and as with any drug, it comes with its own side-effects including upset stomach; headaches; nausea; muscle aches and pains; and pins and needles. However, researchers suggested that side-effects from statins may not be real. As such, their theory was put to the test…
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Potential risk of harm to hundreds of NHS patients because of undelivered medical mail
Back in February 2017, reports revealed that hundreds upon thousands of medical correspondences never made it to healthcare providers. The contractor hired by the NHS to send medical information between health institutions and providers reportedly lost around 709,000 pieces of data.
Truly staggering…
The information included patient medical records and test results. At the time the atrocity was revealed, it was suspected that 500 patients may have been harmed as a result of missing key medical information. Now, the number is over 1,700.
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Packaging mix-up of birth control pills could lead to unintended pregnancies
Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. have made a horrendous error with their packaging which could mess up birth control plans for many women.
On 30th May 2017, Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced a recall for one lot of Mibelas 24 Fe (Norethindrone Acetate and Ethinyl Estradiol 1mg/0.02mg chewable and ferrous fumarate 75mg) tablets after a customer complained there had been a mix-up with the packaging, missing expiry dates and incorrect lot information.
There’s a concern that the mix-up could result in women taking chemically inactive pills on days when they should be taking active tablets, and therefore risk unintended pregnancy.
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Investigation into alleged unfair pricing of drugs and medicines supplied to the NHS
The pharmaceutical sector has been investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for suspected breaches of competition legislation for alleged unfair pricing. The allegations of unfair pricing could have a severe knock-on effect on the NHS which is already in a vulnerable state.
The investigation into the unfair pricing was opened in October 2016. A large degree of scrutiny and information gathering is usually completed before the CMA will come to a definitive conclusion as to whether the pharmaceutical company have breached competition laws – namely Chapter II of the Competition Act (CA) and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
The key issue here though is whether unfair pricing is needlessly costing the NHS too much. If so, the repercussions for this – given the state of our NHS – could be significant.
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Docetaxel, or more commonly known by its brand name Taxotere, is a medical drug used to treat cancer. The chemotherapy drug can be used to treat breast, head and neck, stomach, prostate and non small-cell cancerous cells.
For breast cancer patients it’s the most popular choice of treatment with 75% opting for Taxotere. However, it has since been revealed that manufacturers have not been quite so explicit with the effects the life-saving drug can have, and patients and physicians have reportedly been kept in the dark that Taxotere can cause permanent hair loss.
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Pelvic mesh victim wins $2.16 million from Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon in the U.S.
An American woman from the state of Pennsylvania is set to be paid $2.16 million (around £1.7 million) for injuries suffered after having a pelvic mesh device implanted.
The medical device was manufactured by Ethicon; a medical device branch of Johnson & Johnson.
Ms Margaret Engleman brought the lawsuit after she had the mesh implanted to treat her stress urinary incontinence (SUI). However, the mesh reportedly fused and eroded into her organs causing painful complications. Being fused into her organs, the mesh could not be surgically removed and continues to cause pain and urinary problems to this day.
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The rising epidemic in opioid painkiller dependency
There is reportedly a rising epidemic in opioid painkiller dependency for women who need C–sections for giving birth.
Though caesarean sections are only carried out when it’s considered to be the safest option for both mother and baby, around one in every four/five women in the U.K. have a caesarean. Recovering from a caesarean usually takes longer than a vaginal birth which is why painkillers are frequently prescribed; but according to Health Day, opioid painkillers are being over-prescribed.
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