Let’s face it. The pharmaceutical industry’s zeal to get drugs to the marketplace far outweighs its concern for safety. Shareholders win. The public loses. Drug side effects are amazingly blatant. Let's examine 10 dangerous pharma drugs... Long-term research to assess the potential dangers of drugs slows down profits. Furthermore, it’s more lucrative to pay out settlements to victims than to sacrifice profits. Take Vioxx for example. Even with all the settlements, just under $5 billion, it was still a profitable drug. There are many dangerous drugs still being peddled to the masses due to the insatiable greed of Big Pharma and the irresponsibility of the regulatory processes. The FDA feels insulated by transferring the risk to the public because of the “we warned you” messages attached to drug ads and labels. Sadly, the masses share a misguided and inaccurate belief that the FDA wouldn’t sign-off on something dangerous. Nothing could be further from the truth. Here is a list of 10 dangerous drugs you should be wary of.
Lipitor is the world’s best selling drug. While it’s true that statins do help prevent heart attacks in high-risk patients, Lipitor carries a number of side effects including arthritis, weakness and dizziness. The problem with Lipitor and Crestor is that they are far over-prescribed (nearly 3 million children or on them). Statins cause muscle-breakdown known as rhabdomyolysis. This is a serious condition that releases myoglobin into the bloodstream that can lead to very serious kidney problems.
Smoking kills. No doubt about it. So here’s the answer. Take a drug that will provide you with the following lovely side effects in exchange for reducing nicotine cravings: psychosis, suicidal thoughts, angioedema, dizziness, accidental injury, skin reactions, muscle spasms, seizures, loss of consciousness and visual impairment. Chantix is so bad that the government has banned it from air traffic controllers, pilots and interstate truck drivers.
The most publicized side effect of Ambien sleep aid would be humorous if not so dangerous. Apparently, while on Ambien, you can sleep-walk, sleep-drive, sleep-eat, sleep-call-people-on-the-phone, or if you’re Rep. Patrick Kennedy sleep-crash-your-car, or if Tiger Woods, sleep-cheat-on-your-wife. Seriously, people reportedly do these things without knowledge of it due to the fact that they were sleeping at the time. Buyer beware.
This is a drug that will prevent you from having an epileptic seizure. Or it can relieve you of a headache. Yes, doctors are prescribing a powerful anticonvulsant drug for pain relief. The side effects of Lyrica, Topomax and Lamictal are: suicidal thoughts, behavior and mood swings, as well as memory and hair loss.
This is a drug that can help prevent breast cancer. The problem is, according to the National Cancer Institute, that while Tamoxifen is “preventing” breast cancer (and this claim is dubious at best) it causes endometrial cancer, increases risk of uterine sarcoma, cataracts and strokes. The close cousin of Tamoxifen, Evista, has a “death from stroke” warning on its label.
Here are the facts. Users of the above mentioned drugs experience the following benefits: 26 percent increase in breast cancer, 41 percent increase in strokes and a 29 percent increase in heart attacks. But wait, there’s more! Increase in risks of cardiovascular disease, blood clots, deafness, incontinence, cataracts, asthma, lupus and lots of other cancers. Hormone Therapy was supposed to be over in 2002, and since women have stopped HT there has been a dramatic decrease in cancer rates and heart disease among women in North America, so why then is Pfizer reviving HT? It couldn’t be financially motivated could it?
This drug is intended to combat worsening osteoporosis and for treating bone cancer patients. If you take the once-monthly dose you are not able to lie down for 1-hour. Nor can you eat or drink anything but water for 1-hour. Other side effects include dyspepsia, upset stomach, hypertension, back and muscle pain and flu-like symptoms. I wonder if Sally Field really takes Boniva.
According to The Boston Globe Humira, for rheumatoid arthritis patients, can triple the risk of several types of cancer. Humira can also double the risk for getting infections such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. The manufacturer of course claims the study is faulty and the medication is not to blame. However, the label and the Humira website says the following: Serious infections have happened in patients taking HUMIRA. These infections include tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. Some patients have died from these infections.”And here is what they say regarding cancer: “Certain types of Cancer.There have been cases of unusual cancers in children and teenagers using TNF-blocker medicines. For children and adults taking TNF-blocker medicines, including HUMIRA, the chance of getting lymphoma or other cancers may increase. Some patients have developed non-melanoma skin cancer; tell your doctor if you have a bump or open sore that doesn’t heal.
From a marketing perspective, it was hard not to be enamored with this wonder drug. In addition to birth control, it controlled PMS symptoms, cleared up acne and did not retain water like other birth control pills. And then a host of young teenage girls started to get sick. Really sick. Gall bladder disease, blood clots, heart attacks and strokes. Yes, 18-year old girls having heart attacks and strokes. But at least they had clear complexions. Bayer is still marketing Yaz.
Lipitor and Crestor
Lipitor is the world’s best selling drug. While it’s true that statins do help prevent heart attacks in high-risk patients, Lipitor carries a number of side effects including arthritis, weakness and dizziness. The problem with Lipitor and Crestor is that they are far over-prescribed (nearly 3 million children or on them). Statins cause muscle-breakdown known as rhabdomyolysis. This is a serious condition that releases myoglobin into the bloodstream that can lead to very serious kidney problems.
Chantix
Smoking kills. No doubt about it. So here’s the answer. Take a drug that will provide you with the following lovely side effects in exchange for reducing nicotine cravings: psychosis, suicidal thoughts, angioedema, dizziness, accidental injury, skin reactions, muscle spasms, seizures, loss of consciousness and visual impairment. Chantix is so bad that the government has banned it from air traffic controllers, pilots and interstate truck drivers.
Ambien
The most publicized side effect of Ambien sleep aid would be humorous if not so dangerous. Apparently, while on Ambien, you can sleep-walk, sleep-drive, sleep-eat, sleep-call-people-on-the-phone, or if you’re Rep. Patrick Kennedy sleep-crash-your-car, or if Tiger Woods, sleep-cheat-on-your-wife. Seriously, people reportedly do these things without knowledge of it due to the fact that they were sleeping at the time. Buyer beware.
Lyrica
This is a drug that will prevent you from having an epileptic seizure. Or it can relieve you of a headache. Yes, doctors are prescribing a powerful anticonvulsant drug for pain relief. The side effects of Lyrica, Topomax and Lamictal are: suicidal thoughts, behavior and mood swings, as well as memory and hair loss.
Tamoxifen
This is a drug that can help prevent breast cancer. The problem is, according to the National Cancer Institute, that while Tamoxifen is “preventing” breast cancer (and this claim is dubious at best) it causes endometrial cancer, increases risk of uterine sarcoma, cataracts and strokes. The close cousin of Tamoxifen, Evista, has a “death from stroke” warning on its label.
Prempro (Premarin, Provera)
Here are the facts. Users of the above mentioned drugs experience the following benefits: 26 percent increase in breast cancer, 41 percent increase in strokes and a 29 percent increase in heart attacks. But wait, there’s more! Increase in risks of cardiovascular disease, blood clots, deafness, incontinence, cataracts, asthma, lupus and lots of other cancers. Hormone Therapy was supposed to be over in 2002, and since women have stopped HT there has been a dramatic decrease in cancer rates and heart disease among women in North America, so why then is Pfizer reviving HT? It couldn’t be financially motivated could it?
Boniva
This drug is intended to combat worsening osteoporosis and for treating bone cancer patients. If you take the once-monthly dose you are not able to lie down for 1-hour. Nor can you eat or drink anything but water for 1-hour. Other side effects include dyspepsia, upset stomach, hypertension, back and muscle pain and flu-like symptoms. I wonder if Sally Field really takes Boniva.
Humira
According to The Boston Globe Humira, for rheumatoid arthritis patients, can triple the risk of several types of cancer. Humira can also double the risk for getting infections such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. The manufacturer of course claims the study is faulty and the medication is not to blame. However, the label and the Humira website says the following: Serious infections have happened in patients taking HUMIRA. These infections include tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. Some patients have died from these infections.”And here is what they say regarding cancer: “Certain types of Cancer.There have been cases of unusual cancers in children and teenagers using TNF-blocker medicines. For children and adults taking TNF-blocker medicines, including HUMIRA, the chance of getting lymphoma or other cancers may increase. Some patients have developed non-melanoma skin cancer; tell your doctor if you have a bump or open sore that doesn’t heal.
Yaz & Yasmin
From a marketing perspective, it was hard not to be enamored with this wonder drug. In addition to birth control, it controlled PMS symptoms, cleared up acne and did not retain water like other birth control pills. And then a host of young teenage girls started to get sick. Really sick. Gall bladder disease, blood clots, heart attacks and strokes. Yes, 18-year old girls having heart attacks and strokes. But at least they had clear complexions. Bayer is still marketing Yaz.