the one of the thalidomide It was the first big scandal damage caused by medicines and medical devices. It was a medication used in the 1950s and 1960s to treat morning sickness during pregnancy.
However, it was found to cause disabilities in babies whose mothers used the drug. Thalidomide is estimated to have caused the death of more than 10,000 babies and left many others with permanent disabilities.
That of thalidomide led to the development of the pharmacovigilance but not the eradication of the “phantom epidemic” that the side effects of medicines suppose.
There is no exact figure for how many people die each year due to adverse drug reactions, since this depends on many factorssuch as the type of medication, dosage, duration of treatment, and the general health of the patient.
However, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Associationthe side effects of the drugs are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, after heart disease, cancer, and stroke.
The study estimates that drug side effects cause about 106,000 deaths a year in the U.S. In addition, the side effects of the drugs can cause permanent disabilities and reduce the quality of life of patients.
Here I present a table with some scandals of damage caused by medicines and health products in recent years:
| Product | damage caused |
|---|---|
| Essure | He Essure It is a contraceptive device that was implanted in the fallopian tubes of women. It was withdrawn from the market in 2018 after it was found to cause chronic pain, vaginal bleeding, organ perforation and other health problems in some women. It is estimated that the device caused the death of at least 27 women. |
| Vioxx | He Vioxx it was withdrawn from the market in 2004 after it was found to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes in some patients. It is estimated that the drug caused the death of more than 60,000 people Worldwide. |
| Avandia | He Avandia is a medicine used to treat diabetes which was withdrawn from the market in some countries after it was found to increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke in some patients. It is estimated that the drug caused the death of more than 83,000 people Worldwide. |
| Agreal | He Agreal is a drug used to treat menopausal symptoms that was withdrawn from the market in 2005 after it was found to increase the risk of breast cancer in some women. It is estimated that the drug contributed to the death of at least 200 women. |
| OxyContin | He OxyContin It is a treatment used to treat pain that has been the subject of controversy due to its potential for abuse and addiction. The drug has been implicated in contributing to the opioid epidemic in the United States and a lawsuit has been filed against the manufacturing company for its role in the crisis. There are an unknown number of deaths behind him. |
| fen-phen | He fen-phen was a combination of two drugs used to lose weight which was withdrawn from the market in 1997 after it was found to increase the risk of heart and lung diseases in some patients. The drug is believed to be the cause of the death of more than 100 people and left many others with permanent disabilities. |
| Rezulin | He Rezulin is a drug used to treat diabetes which was withdrawn from the market in 2000 after it was found to increase the risk of Hepatic injury in some patients. It is estimated that the drug caused the death of at least 63 people. |
| Propulsid | He Propulsid is a preparation used to treat acid reflux that was withdrawn from the market in 2000 after it was found to increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias in some patients. It is estimated that the drug is behind the death of at least 80 people. |
| Baycol | He Baycol was used to reduce the cholesterol and has been withdrawn from the market since 2001 after it was found to increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis, a serious muscle disease. It is estimated that the drug killed at least 31 people. |
| Darvon | He Darvon is a drug used to treat pain which was withdrawn from the market in 2010 after it was found to increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias in some patients. At least 2,000 of its users died. |
These are just some of the more serious cases of drug damage but there is more: papilloma vaccine and other immunizers, Prolia and a long list of treatments that continue to be used.