Serious side-effect warnings may be getting diluted on medication labels

Pharmaceuticals have a responsibility to tell doctors and users about any side-effects a drug might have.

But what if the list contains over 20 or 30 potential side-effects?

Even when just taking a paracetamol tablet we may be faced with a long list of potential reactions and potential problems of varying degrees. Are pharmaceutical companies doing this to cover their backs, or are they doing it to confuse the user by downplaying the risks?

Some are suggesting the latter…
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NHS pushed into upgrading its monitoring system following avoidable death

A 42-year-old woman was admitted to East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust hospital on a Friday evening with a liver abscess and sepsis. Her condition rapidly deteriorated over the weekend and she tragically died two days later of multiple organ failure.

This death was confirmed to have been entirely preventable.

This incident was apparently the last straw for the Trust’s critical-care lead, Dr Kate Murray. Prior to this incident, Murray was unhappy with an abundance of problems with how the hospital take patient observations, and as a result of the incident, she sought to do something about it.
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Antidepressant side effects may increase risk of suicide by triggering “akathisia”

Mental health care has gained more recognition and dedication of resources to help those who suffer from mental illness over the last few decades. Antidepressants can be used to treat symptoms of depression and can help the body to produce hormones that promote positive mood-levels and emotions and can even reduce pain. However, as with many drugs, this kind of medication can have potentially dangerous side effects such as “akathisia”.

Although the drug carries warnings of potentially increasing the risk of depression and suicidal thoughts in people under the age of 25, recent developments suggest that it could also impact those over 25 as well…
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A reported 22% increase in fatal drug overdoses involving Fentanyl in just one year

Plagued by a reported opioid crisis, the U.S. has released national statistics on drug-related deaths, revealing staggering results that reflect the country’s problems.

In the last year alone, the U.S reports a death toll of 64,000 for people who suffered fatal overdoses.

Here in the U.K., the Office for National Statistics puts the figure for deaths involving substance abuse at 952, which is a significant increase from 579 just five years ago. Irrelevant of whether our death-rates are nowhere near as bad as the U.S. or not, the issue is that the U.K. could be headed in a similar direction to the U.S. when it comes to medicinal drug overuse and problems, and this cannot be ignored.
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Authorities cracking down on unapproved stem cell “miracle” treatments

Authorities have reportedly been conducting investigations and raiding health clinics that purport to offer “miracle treatments” using stem cells.

Since the discovery of stem cell techniques, doctors and researchers have been overjoyed to use such procedures for regenerative medicine, with stem cells often extracted from bone marrow, blood and fat. However, there are reportedly a small number of institutions who have taken the opportunity to allegedly exploit eager patients by offering “unproven and potentially dangerous treatments” involving stem cell techniques.
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Attempts to tackle opioid crisis by limiting prescriptions

There are plans to reportedly limit the “number and strength” of opioid drugs for first-time users. The decision is based on an attempt to curb a reported “epidemic” where many are thought to be subject to over-prescription of opioids, resulting in reliance and dependency on the powerful drug.

Patients prescribed the drug for the first time are set to only be given a seven-day prescription as part of plans to tackle this growing problem.

Whilst the topic of overusing opioids is hot in America, it’s also being hugely debated here too. In the U.K., we’re also reportedly facing an epidemic of overusing prescription medications.
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Do you know what side effects your over-the-counter medication has?

Whilst medication purchased over-the-counter are generally accepted as safe for use, some regulators worldwide are noting that more and more hospital admissions and deaths are being linked to overuse or misuse of over-the-counter drugs.

These drugs are generally seen as safe when used for their intended purpose, but the issue is that they can sometimes “interact negatively” with other drugs, alcohol and any pre-existing conditions the user may have.

It’s also thought that some people are using over-the-counter medications for purposes that they’re not specifically intended for because they can produce some “benefits”. That being said, this can be fraught with dangers.
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One in ten men over 50 have a heart age of a decade older than their actual age

Public Health England has published a report with an alarming statistic that shows older men are aging faster than their years.

The Heart Age Test indicates that 10% of men aged 50 or over have a heart that is ten years older than they actually are, putting them at higher risks of heart attacks and strokes.

The study was conducted using 1.2 million test results, and 64% of males had an older heart age compared to women. A new government-led campaign is trying to raise awareness of heart health, and with statistics like 7,400 deaths by heart disease and stroke per month, it shouldn’t be too difficult to press the points.
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Doctors are reportedly failing to properly inform patients of side effects for prescription drugs

We put our lives in the hands of doctors, and we expect to be provided with a health service designed to help and protect us.

As we know, however, this is not always the case.

Sometimes, prescription drugs are required to treat certain ailments, but are usually only recommended if the benefits outweigh the risks. Reportedly, there are alarming concerns surrounding doctors allegedly failing to warn patients about the potential side-effects of prescription drugs they are being given.
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Over-prescribing medicine may be fuelling drug addiction

When we think of drug addiction, most of us think of illegal drugs. However, studies have found that over-prescribing painkillers is starting a potential epidemic of people getting addicted to prescription medications.

Apparently, some manufacturers and marketers may be allegedly going above and beyond to ensure health providers underestimate the strength and prevalence of prescribed drugs. Some suggest that hospitals and pharmacies are prescribing excessively strong doses of addictive medication like opioids, fuelling a public dependency and consequential addiction.
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The U.S. opioid “crisis” and how it may be coming to the U.K.

In 1995, U.S. regulators approved a new drug called OxyContin; a highly effective opioid manufactured by Purdue Pharma. The oxycodone hydrochloride controlled-release painkiller was hailed as a wonder drug for many aches and pains, and drug manufactures have made an absolute fortune selling this drug as part of a $400 billion-a-year industry.

However, the manufactures stand accused of serious wrongdoing that helped them cement their success, namely: deceptive advertising; and excessively aggressive marketing.

That’s what the law firms suing these giant drug companies allege is happening.
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NHS Trust sent letters to terminally ill patients advertising private clinics

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been criticised for sending marketing letters to terminally ill patients advertising private clinical services.

The Trust reportedly used patients’ medical data to send hundreds of marketing leaflets advertising a private clinic, Nova Healthcare.
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