Adverse Drug Reactions Have Doubled

Over the last decade, reports of adverse drug reactions, including death, have doubled, according to a report published on September 10th in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"We are losing substantial amounts of ground in protecting people against serious injury and death from prescription drugs," said Thomas J. Moore, senior scientist, drug safety and policy, for the Institute for Safe Medication Practices and the lead author of the study.

Tylenol, a commonly used over-the-counter pain killer, is the 5th deadliest drug in America. "Painkillers have always been a problem, especially the opioids, but it seems to be getting worse," Moore says. "They are being used more." Fentanyl patches, for instance, made the list of common offenders, and Moore say they are "hugely powerful and very addictive."

The “Hit List”:

On the list of drugs most commonly identified in fatal events:

1. Oxycodone (OxyContin and others)
2. Fentanyl (Duragesic and others)
3. Clozapine (Clozaril)
4. Morphine
5. Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
6. Methadone
7. Infliximab (Remicade)
8. Interferon beta (Rebif, Betaseron, Avonex)
9. Risperidone (Risperdal)
10. Etanercept (Enbrel)
11. Paclitaxel (Taxol)
12. Acetaminophen-hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab, and others)
13. Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
14. Rofecoxib (Vioxx)
15. Paroxetine (Paxil)

Drugs on the list of those most commonly identified in disability or serious outcomes:

1. Estrogens
2. Insulin
3. Infliximab (Remicade)
4. Interferon beta (Rebif, Betaseron, Avonex)
5. Paroxetine (Paxil)
6. Rofecoxib (Vioxx)
7. Warfarin (Coumadin)
8. Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
9. Etanercept (Enbrel)
10. Celecoxib (Celebrex)
11. Phentermine (Pro-Fast)
12. Clozapine (Clozaril)
13. Interferon alfa (Alferon N, Infergen, Intron A, Roferon-A)
14. Simvastatin (Zocor)
15. Venlafaxine (Effexor)

These data are based on serious adverse drug events voluntarily reported to the FDA though the Adverse Events Reporting System (AERS), known as the "MedWatch" reports, from 1998 to 2005. A serious adverse drug event is defined as one that results in death, a birth defect, disability, hospitalization, was life-threatening, or needed intervention to avoid harm.

Experts caution that the data may only represent the “tip of the iceberg” as patients and doctors often fail to report adverse events to the FDA and many drug related injuries and deaths may not have been recognized as such.

Source: WebMD