Pharmaceutical Liability

Pharmaceutical Liability

Let Our Experienced Tallahassee Product Liability Attorney Help

More people than ever are taking prescription drugs on a regular basis. Almost 3 out of every 5 Americans takes a doctor-approved medication, and at least 20% of those were taking 5 or more prescriptions. The top 11 global drug companies made almost $85 billion in net profits in 2012, so there is a ridiculous amount of revenue available from medication sales. People have often accused pharmaceutical companies of rushing development at the risk of injuring or killing patients who later take their drugs. After all, the faster you get the drug to the general public the more income you make as a pharma company while your 10-year patent lasts.

Contact our experienced pharmaceutical liability attorney about your case.

Are Drugs Ever 100% Safe?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in charge of regulating the drug industry, and it allows the sale of unavoidably unsafe products. These are medications that might have dangerous side effects but that treat the condition for which they are prescribed. For example, doctors prescribe chemotherapeutic agents to eliminate hard-to-kill cancer cells. They are also one of the only treatments available for cancer management.

There is no current way for pharmaceutical companies to make chemotherapy less harmful to the patient. It’s a drug designed to kill malignant cells, but it doesn’t distinguish between cancerous and healthy cells. Even over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen, have had adverse effects on consumers (such as increasing their risk of heart, kidney, and liver failure). Drugs are generally taken as a calculated risk. However, medical professionals do have a duty to warn you about the potential repercussions of the drugs you are prescribed.

Duty to Warn

Pharmaceutical companies must report any side effects when they know they occur. For example, in 2014, 2 California companies filed a consumer-protection lawsuit against 5 pharma companies who promoted the use of opioid drugs while misrepresenting their safety. This deceptive marketing caused a rising number of emergency room visits because of addiction. The opioid use also contributed to the deaths of 16,651 people in 2010 alone. If a pharmaceutical company has failed to provide a warning of a side effect they knew about prior to releasing the drug to the public, they are liable for any injury or death that may happen as a result.

Contact The Pelham Law Firm Today

If you’ve been injured by a prescription drug, talk to our excellent product liability attorney, Randy V. Pelham. He has more than 25 years of experience fighting for the rights of personal injury victims in Tallahassee. As your trusted advocate, he works to the best of his ability to apply creativity, innovation, and commitment to your case.

Contact us at (850) 383-6600​ or fill out our online form to schedule your free consultation.