How to Handle Prescription Drug Recalls

Prescription drugs improve health through elaborate mechanisms of action and years of intense research. The path a pill takes from the laboratory to a pharmacy includes a series of checks and balances such as clinical trials, vigorous testing and careful governmental and pharmaceutical review. Even with this meticulous journey, prescription medicines suffer recalls. Handle prescription drug recalls by following a few basic steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Sign up for newsletter or email alerts from organizations that monitor major pharmaceutical companies. Watchdog agencies observe adverse events and may discover facts about recalls before the general public does.
2. Check electronic and print news media for information on prescription drugs. Adverse events such as recalls make national news headlines. News media broadcast both sides of a story to give viewers a balanced perspective of recalled pharmaceuticals.
3. Ask about drug recalls at pharmacies. Pharmacists and staff stay abreast of pharmacology and most people consider them reputable sources. Inquire about a specific class of medicine when discussing recalls. Ask for over-the-counter options.
4. Talk to doctors and nursing staff. When facing drug call-backs, pharmaceutical representatives give medical staff drug-specific literature that outlines specific steps to take regarding drug recalls. These instructions often include key points for doctors to discuss with patients.
5. Use caution when taking drugs that are new to the market. Blockbuster products promise exciting patient benefits. However, many new medicines lack the long-term experience needed to identify adverse events associated with long-term use. These products may hold an increased risk of recall.

Tips & Warnings

• Think twice about buying drugs from companies based outside the U.S. that do not require strict or comparable manufacturing regulations.