According to the CDC, over 50% of the United States’ population of adults has taken a prescribed drug in the last month, and more than 30% of that total take prescribed drugs regularly.
Illnesses and conditions such as high blood pressure, depression, and pain, to name a few, are more frequently (and increasingly) being treated with prescription drugs. The increase in prescriptions has many concerns. This increase also portends an increase in prescription errors, overdoses, fatal drug interactions, and pharmacy mistakes.
Drug Manufacturers Are Increasingly Brought To Court. But Why?
It is not unusual for a drug manufacturer to release some drugs to market that haven’t been adequately tested. When a patient has an adverse reaction, their only recourse is to bring a lawsuit to the drug manufacturer. They seek compensation for the harm they endured from the dangerous drug. At times, the repercussions can be life-altering, making the lawsuit even more critical to the individual affected and draws the public’s attention to the unsafe drug.
Is Your Prescribed Drug On This List?
You may take one of these drugs daily and think nothing of it. You think you are safe because maybe you’ve never heard of it being dangerous, but ANY medication in the wrong dose can be fatal and even deadly.
These Are The 10 Most Prescribed Drugs In America:
- Hydrocodone (combined with acetaminophen) – This is a Painkiller. Hydrocodone is the most popular medicine in the U.S. and is a generic medication otherwise known as the brand name Vicodin. Most of the hundreds of deaths each year due to acetaminophen poisoning are from Vicodin or similar drug misuse. 131 million prescriptions were dispensed in 2010.
- Simvastatin (Zocor) or Atorvastatin (Lipitor) – These are the most widely prescribed drugs to help lower cholesterol. In 2016, lawsuits were brought against Pfizer for claims that the company failed to warn patients about Lipitor’s more dangerous side effects – like debilitating muscle and nerve problems – including memory loss. 94.1 million prescriptions were given in 2010.
- Lisinopril or Amlodipine Besylate (Norvasc) – These drugs treat high blood pressure. They are sold under brand names Prinivil and Zestril. Known side effects include possible liver damage and even liver failure. 87.4 million prescriptions were dispensed in 2010.
- Generic Synthroid (Levothyroxine Sodium) – Is commonly prescribed to treat hypothyroid disorders. 70.5 million prescriptions written in 2010.
- Amlodipine – Is a standard prescription given to patients to treat high blood pressure. It is a calcium channel blocker with the brand name Norvasc (Pfizer). 57.2 million prescriptions were dispensed in 2010.
- Omeprazole (Prilosec) – Prilosec, or its generic version, Omeprazole, is a proton pump inhibitor used to treat acid reflux. There have been reports that some patients who took the drug had increased bone and hip fracture side effects. 53.4 million prescriptions written in 2010.
- Azithromycin – This is a generic antibiotic. 52.6 million prescriptions were written in 2010 to treat bacterial infections. The name-brand is Zithromax and is manufactured by Pfizer. (Some may know it as a “Z-Pack”).
- Amoxicillin – Amoxicillin is another commonly prescribed antibiotic in the penicillin family of medicines. 52.3 million prescriptions were dispensed in 2010.
- Metformin HCL – Metformin HCL is the generic medication of Glucophage and is used to treat diabetes or high blood sugar. 48.3 million prescriptions were written in 2010.
- Hydrochlorothiazide – This medication is in a class of diuretics and is commonly used to treat high blood pressure. 47.8 million prescriptions were dispensed in 2010.
Kennedy Law Firm has written a free e-book, “Making Pharmacies Pay for their Mistakes,” and you can order it today by calling: 713-425-6445. Please contact us if you’d like a pharmacy certified attorney to review your case at no cost to you.