Prescription drugs have always been something of a double-edged sword. There is a number of important medications out there that people rely on to improve their quality of life and to help them become healthier. There are also a number of drugs that end up on the market that are quite dangerous. You might be wondering how these drugs can end up on the market if they are dangerous, and that’s a very good question.

Companies are very quick to market their drugs and do whatever they can to get them onto the market. The current FDA rules make it far too easy for them to get approval. This is especially true of the generic drugs that come onto the market, which don’t need to go through the same approval process. They can use studies from other drugs already on the market that are essentially the same, even if those drugs are starting to show side effects. While the system seems flawed, currently the only recourse tends to be lawsuits.

Here are some of the biggest and most dangerous drugs that have caused injuries to people over the years. These were so dangerous that the FDA actually pulled them from the market.

Accutane

Accutane was a popular drug for those who wanted to reduce the appearance of acne. However, it came with a number of side effects including an elevated risk of birth defects and miscarriages, along with premature births. In addition, it has been shown to be responsible for inflammatory bowel disease, and even thoughts of suicide. In all, there were 7,000 lawsuits brought against the manufacturer of the drug. This was on the market for 27 years before being recalled.

Baycol

Used to help people reduce their cholesterol levels, this drug came with quite a few side effects. The biggest problem was that it could cause a breakdown of muscle fiber, which put myoglobin into the bloodstream. Ultimately, this would lead to kidney failure, and it actually caused 52 deaths around the world, with 31 of them being in the United States. In addition, there were 385 instances of people being hospitalized with nonfatal injuries associated with the drug. Baycol was only on the market for three years before being pulled by the FDA.

Bextra

This pain reliever had a number of serious side effects including adverse cardiovascular events that would lead to stroke, death, and myocardial infarction. In addition, it caused skin reactions in some people. These skin reactions were not mere rashes. They resulted in toxic epidermal nercolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and erythmea multiforme. It also caused gastrointestinal bleeding for some. This drug was on the market for just over three years.

Darvon and Darvocet

This pain reliever was actually on the market for 55 years before being pulled in 2010. It was a common prescription pain reliever despite the danger. It has the capacity to cause toxicity in the heart, and it was responsible for 2,110 deaths between 1981 and 1999. The FDA was originally petitioned to pull the drug in 1978, and they didn’t. When they were petitioned again in 2006, they also failed to ban it.

Duract

This painkiller only lasted a year on the market before being pulled, thankfully. The drug was only supposed to be taken for ten days, maximum. However, many patients were given more than this, or took more on their own accord. There were four deaths associated with the drug, and eight patients required liver transplants. Twelve patients had severe damage to their livers. All of these patients took the drug for more than ten days. This shows that the drug was not only dangerous, but people were not fully warned about the dangers associated with it.

Meridia

Many people want to lose weight and they are looking for a magical pill to help them do it. While Meridia might have promised that it was a good appetite suppressant, it had far too many dangers to be worth taking. It increased the risk of stroke and cardiovascular issues in those who took it. This drug was on the market for 13 years, finally being pulled in 2010.

Palladone

The narcotic painkiller Palladone was only on the market for about six months before being pulled. In high doses, this could cause breathing to become shallow, or to stop entirely. It could cause coma and death. The problems were exacerbated by people who drank alcohol while taking the drug.

Permax

This drug, created to help those suffering from Parkinson’s disease lasted for 19 years before being pulled in 2007. It caused problems with heart valves where the blood would flow backwards over the valve. This could cause a number of issues including heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Even though it is no longer in use for humans, it is still available for veterinary use.

Redux

This is another appetite suppressant, but you might know it better by the other name it went by – Fen-Phen, when it is prescribed with phentermine. A whopping 30% of the patients who used the drug had abnormal echocardiograms. There were a number of cases of heart valve disease associated with the drug. Redux was only on the market for a year before being pulled by the FDA.

What Should You Do?

While you may not have taken any of the above prescription medications, you might be dealing with your own health issues resulting from taking other drugs that are still on the market. When you are suffering and trying to deal with the aftermath of taking these drugs, it can be a very frightening and confusing time. You may not know what type of recourse you have. The best thing you can do is get in touch with an attorney who has experience working with these types of injury cases. You don’t deserve to suffer, and there is help out there.