A drug recall occurs when an over-the-counter or prescription drug has to be removed from the market due to it being potentially harmful or defective.
There are four major reasons for these recalls:
- Health hazard. Unfortunately, there are times when risks aren’t realized until a medication has been widely used. If the FDA has received multiple complaints from the public, it may request an investigation and a recall.
- Poorly manufactured. These types of defects occur when the drug’s quality, potency or purity is tainted due to the manufacturing process.
- Poorly packaged. A recall may be issued if the dosing tool or the dosing instructions are not exact.
- Mislabeled. A recall is always issued if the product is wrongly labeled as another drug.
If Your Medication is Recalled
If any of the above happen to you, first and foremost, don’t panic but you should stop taking the medication immediately. Call your doctor and let he or she know what you’ve been taking and for how long. Educate yourself on the product and what the potential harmful effects may be. Dispose of the medication properly and call the manufacturing hotline.
You’ll also want to reach out to a personal injury attorney who specializes in defective drug product recalls. They can advise you on your next steps to obtaining legal compensation for injured or damages suffered by you or a loved one.