According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, the number of deaths as a result of serious drug reactions shot up considerably over the first half of the year.
More than 4800 deaths were reported to the Food and Drug Administration in patients who were given medical drugs, and in total more than 21000 adverse drug reactions were reported.
The FDA characterizes a serious drug reaction as one that requires hospitalization, or some form of medical intervention.
One might not have to think too hard to remember that the blood thinner heparin was responsible for hundreds of adverse reactions earlier this year, which resulted from a tainted product imported from the country of China.
The other drug was Pfizer’s Chantix, which is an antismoking drug.
Overall, it was Chantix which lead the way when it came to adverse reactions being reported.
“The FDA is aware of the increasing number of reports, and we take them seriously,” said spokesman Christopher DiFrancesco.
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