Big Pharma

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Reporting serious adverse drug events and deaths on the rise

 

The FDA has operated the Adverse Event Reporting System since 1998.

From 1998 to 2005 reported serious adverse drug events increased by

260%. The reporting of fatal drug events has increased by 270%. Drugs

withdrawn fro the market due to serious adverse events only made up

1% of these events in 2005 (26% in 1999; a very disturbing trend).

For 13 new biotechnology drugs reported serious events grew by

1,580%. Out of 1489 drugs related to serious adverse events, just 20%

of these drugs caused 97% of all of these events. The information is

available in the September 10th, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal

Medicine.