FDA drug side effects database full of errors

New York health care practitioners probably know that thousands of people around the country die each year as a result of side effects from drugs. To track this, the Food and Drug Administration collects data from those who have adverse reactions while taking medication they have been prescribed by a doctor. However, an analysis of the database created using these reports and experiences has been found to be full of errors.

The Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System allows any person taking a prescription medication to report any side effects they may experience. The data collected by the FDA is constantly updated, meaning it can be used in studies. However, an analysis found that there were a wide range of problems with the data. For example, the disease that was being treated was often being reported as a side effect.

Another major problem is that the database does not account for the fact that one drug can, and often does, have more than one name. This means that researchers have to include every single synonym the drug may have in order to find all of the reported side effects. This can be particularly tedious as some prescription medications have hundreds of different names, which can include chemical names and brand names.

In many cases, prescription medications can improve a person's quality of life and improve his or her health as long as it is used appropriately. However, there are cases where a person can have an adverse reaction to a prescription medication, especially if a negligent physician prescribed the wrong drug or the wrong dose of the right drug. People who have been harmed in such a manner might want to meet with a medical malpractice attorney and learn about their legal options.