A study conducted by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) highlights the needs for additional safety warnings concerning the risks of using generic and brand-named medications. In the most extreme cases, the FDA may take the step of simply removing risky medications and defective drugs from the market. However, for the most part labeling of such drugs will at least hopefully be changed in order that all risks of taking such medications will be made public.

Risks of certain medications that as of yet are not required on drug labels can include suicidal thoughts or behavior associated with taking a certain medication, and viral infections, renal failure and increased cancer risks that come along with taking certain drugs. Obviously, such side effects are of such significance that the FDA deemed it necessary that consumers be informed of such risks.

There are many adverse health effects in taking prescription medications that remain undiagnosed for a number of years after the individual had taken the medication. Research used in determining such risks has been described as "notably less rigorous" than would be adequate to provide physicians with full disclosure about medications they may think they need to prescribe. And often reporting of adverse consequences of particular medications is provided with little to no documentation stating how often such consequences occur.

That such research is deemed insufficient is ironic considering how much money goes into campaigning to have such drugs allowed on the market to begin with. If current warnings concerning drugs were to be believed, all medications of the same type are little different from others in terms of risk. Unfortunately, this is not the case as certain medications involve much more serious side effects than others.

Because drug manufacturers are not forthcoming concerning risks of taking certain medications, product liability suits against such companies will continue.

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine, "The FDA and New Safety Warnings," by Thomas J. More, AB, Sonal Singh, MD, MPH, and Curt D. Furberg, MD, PhD., Jan. 9, 2012