Wednesday, July 1, 2009

No Safe Drugs

Americans believe that if the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug then it's safe. They don't realize that there is no such thing as a drug that's 100% safe, even over-the-counter drugs. By now you've probably heard the news that the FDA is considering tough new standards for Tylenol and other products that contain acetaminophen including reduction in recommended dose, a possible "black box" warning and even elimination in some products such as Vicodin and Percocet.

The actions are being considered because acetaminophen is responsible for 56,000 people going to the emergency room and around 200 deaths each year due to liver damage. No one can even estimate the number of people who may suffer liver damage from these popular products. There is no such thing as a completely safe drug.

In contrast, none of the 300+ therapies listed in my book on complementary and alternative therapies send thousands of people to the hospital every year or kill hundreds. And doctors say complementary and alternative medicine is dangerous?

No comments: