How to find out if your medication is defective

The wonders of modern medicine have given patients the means to cure or manage numerous diseases and common injuries. With proper medication, you can control conditions such as high blood pressure and depression. Prescription painkillers make recovery much easier to handle. However, as with everything in the medical field, there are side effects and risks that come with using these drugs. Most of the time, your provider or pharmacist will inform you of these dangers. Other times, they do not become apparent until later when damage has already occurred. How are you to know if your medication is safe? Drug recalls Some drug manufacturers willingly initiate recalls of their products as soon as they become aware of problems. An example is Teva Pharmaceuticals, who voluntarily recalled its blood pressure pills due to an impure, carcinogenic ingredient. Such reports often appear in the news. You may or may not receive a personal notification, usually from your pharmacist or provider, if you use a recalled drug.  Sometimes, manufacturers do not want to admit wrongdoing. In these cases, once the danger comes to light, or if there is a question as to safety, the FDA orders a recall. You can search the site or sign up for emails to inform you of all the latest drug recalls, both voluntary and involuntary, to stay in the loop. The sooner you become aware of relevant drug recalls, the better for your health. Personal experience Unfortunately, drug issues sometimes stay under the radar until enough people have adverse reactions and develop health problems. You may end up in this category. Is it too late to do anything about it? The answer is no. As soon as you experience negative consequences from taking a drug, report it and see your doctor to receive treatment. You do not have to be responsible for the extra medical bills, though. You may be able to hold the drug manufacturer responsible and obtain financial compensation.