According to a Fox news report, more people die in America every year from prescription drug abuse than die from heroin and cocaine combined.  This leads us to the questions:

1. Are doctors over prescribing?
2. Are doctors closely monitoring drug usage of patients?
3. Are people illegally obtaining prescription drugs?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, most people who die from prescription drug overdose are taking someone else’s medicines, medicines that we left in the medicine cabinet, medicines that were given to a friend or a relative, maybe innocently, maybe maliciously.

In a study done by the CDC it was found that enough narcotics are prescribed every year to medicate each and every adult in America every day for a month.

Thomas Frieden, Director of the CDC, has said “It’s astonishing.  When I went to medical school, we were incorrectly assured, don’t worry, if patients have short-term pain, they won’t get hooked.  That was completely wrong, and a generation of doctors, patients, and families have learned that’s a tragic mistake.”

Although many states have passed new laws to monitor the prescribing of narcotic painkillers, the death rate due to this issue remains high.

A Sheriff of Pinella County in Florida, calls this issue widespread.  “This problem crosses all walks of life, crosses all socio-economic classes.  Crosses all races and gender, national origin, and age”, he said.

According to an Associated Press story, the families of two newborns who died after they were inadvertently given massive doses of heparin have sued an Indianapolis hospital and the Illinois-based company that makes the blood thinner.

The suit filed recently in Marion Superior Court against Methodist Hospital and Deerfield, Ill.-based Baxter Healthcare Corp. doesn’t specify damages.

The suit was filed by an defective drug attorney for the parents of two of the three newborns who died in September 2006 following injections of heparin 1,000 times greater than the recommended dose for infants. Also suing are the parents of two infants who were overdosed but survived.

The error occurred in part because of a mix up over labeling.

A Baxter spokeswoman said the deaths were tragic but preventable, and it is vital that clinicians always read the name and dose of a drug before giving it to a patient. Baxter changed the labeling on its heparin vials in October 2007.

A spokesman for Clarian Health Partners, of which Methodist is part, said the company did not have all the details of the litigation and had no comment.

Actor Dennis Quaid and his wife sued Baxter last year after their newborn twins got massive doses of the blood thinner at a hospital.

These families aren’t the only ones battling drug companies over wrongful deaths due to defective drugs or defective labeling. It is advisable to locate an experienced defective drug attorney in case legal advice is necessary for a heparin lawsuit or settlement .

Canadian drug makers, Health Canada, are recalling ratio-Morphine SR 15 milligram, 30 milligram and 60 milligram tablets. The tablets are being recalled due to possible overdose risks.

The recall was initiated after complaints were received by KV Pharmaceutical, a U.S. drug manufacturer.

Some morphine tablets may be oversized, containing more prescription medication than indicated on the label. This could lead to potential overdose.

According to defective drug attorneys, the symptoms of a morphine overdose are:

• Abnormal breathing
• Abnormally low blood pressure
• Abnormally low heart rate
• Dizziness

If untreated, a serious morphine overdose may also result in a cardiac arrest or fatality. If a drug overdose is suspected, defective drug lawyers agree that it is important to contact a qualified medical professional.

Ethex Corporation has expanded its recall of morphine tablets on June 16, 2008. The recalled tablets potentially contain twice the dose of morphine that is on the prescription drug label.

Ethex Corporation originally recalled a single lot of morphine tablets on June 9, 2008. The recall has been expanded to include both 60 mg and 30 mg lots of extended release morphine tablets.

The recall expansion is being described as a precaution by Ethex Corporation. There have not been any reports of adverse reactions linked to the tablets.

Serious adverse reactions can develop due to an overdose of an opioid medication, like morphine. Symptoms of an opioid overdose include respiratory distress, low-blood pressure and hypotension.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has listed the following recalled lots: 30mg Tablet/NDC # 58177-320-04: Lots 75090, 77846, 77847, 80048, 83320, 89661, 89665, 90252 through 90258, and 93284 and 60mg Tablet/NDC # 58177-330-04: Lots 91762 (previously reported), 75091, 75092, 77848 through 77851, 82517, 82518, 83333, 83817, 83862, 84111, 84112, 84315, 84900, 85326, 85335, 85807, 86270 through 86276, 87723, 87939, 88007, 89083, 89668, 89669, 89821, 90260 through 90272, and 91763 through 91765.

Defective drug attorneys are working to prevent the serious illnesses and injuries that can result from faulty prescription drugs.

ETHEX Corporation is recalling one lot of 60 mg morphine sulfate tablets due to a risk of overdose. The tablets were manufactured with double the dose of morphine sulfate that is on the label, which could cause serious adverse reactions.

The lot affected by the recall is number 91762. No additional lots are being recalled.

The morphine tablets were released between April 15 and April 27, 2008. They are under the ETHEX label.

As with all opioid medication, the consequences of an overdose can be fatal. An overdose of morphine may result in difficulty breathing and lowered blood pressure.

To this date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not received any reports of adverse side effects.

Defective drug attorneys are working to help prevent serious consequences of faulty prescription medication by holding drug manufactures responsible for their negligence.

The generic drug maker, Actavis Totowa LLC, recently recalled all lots of the prescription drug Digitek. It was discovered that some of the Digitek pills contained twice the approved dose of the main ingredient, which could cause serious adverse reactions and overdose.

The symptoms of a Digitek overdose include:

• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Low-blood pressure
• Fatality

Digitek is a heart medication that is used to treat congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. Actavis is a major manufacturer of the drug. Although other companies do have small quantities, the recall has affected supplies of the drug.

Pharmacists have been advised to ration the available supplies of Digitek in order to provide the necessary prescriptions. Adverse reactions to Digitek should be reported to the Food and Drug Administration.

Defective drug attorneys are working on cases that involve the serious injuries that result from faulty prescription medication.

It was announced last week that Actavis Totowa LLC is recalling all lots of Digitek. A spokesperson for the company said that 11 reports of serious illness have been linked with Digitek. The spokesperson said that the company is not aware of any deaths in relation to the recall.

Digitek is a prescription medication used to treat abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure.

Tests of Digitek show that the reported illnesses may be caused by overdose. Some tablets of the drug might are thought to contain at least twice the FDA approved dose of the active ingredient.

All lots of the prescription drug are being recalled. Digitek is distributed under the “Bertek” label by Mylan Pharmaceuticals. It is also distributed under a “UDL” label by UDL Laboratories Inc.

Defective drug attorneys are working on cases in which serious illness has resulted due to the negligence of drug companies.

On March 25^{th, California regulators delayed the electronic tracking of prescription drugs for two years. The California State Board of Pharmacy voted 12-0 to allow prescription drug manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies an additional two years to begin electronically tracking prescription drugs from the manufacturer to the patient.The requirement was already delayed by the California State Legislation in 2007. Now, the pharmaceutical industry has until January 1, 2011. The delay is intended to allow the pharmaceutical industry time to set up computer systems that would comply with the first ever requirement to track prescriptions.}

The requirement was instituted in California after a recall of fake Lipitor.

There are defective drug attorneys currently working on cases that involve the serious and fatal illnesses that result from defective drugs.

On March 11^{th, 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a warning regarding the prescription cough syrup, Tussionex Pennkinetic Extended-Release Suspension.According to the FDA, Tussionex has been linked to death and serious adverse reactions. A report released by the FDA states that Tussionex was improperly prescribed to children under the age of 6 years old and administered more frequently than recommended.}

Tussionex should only be administered in 12 hour increments. Serious side effects have been reported by those who are given the cough syrup at increments of 6 to 8 hours. Frequent administration of Tussionex can result in overdose, leading to death.

Reports of the serious side effects of Tussionex have also been reported in adults and adolescents.

The FDA is recommending the manufacturer provide clear information and labeling of Tussionex.

Defective drug attorneys are currently working on cases involving the mislabeling of prescription drugs.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on March 14^{th that it is taking action to stop the import of Heparin into the United States. The active ingredient of Heparin is manufactured by Scientific Protein Laboratories LLC., which has headquarters in both Wisconsin and China.}

A major recall of Heparin was announced in January, 2008. Since then, hundreds of allergic reactions and at least 19 deaths have been reported in association with Heparin use.

A spokesperson for the FDA has announced that since the end of February, no new deaths have been reported due to adverse reactions to Heparin.

The Heparin that is being stopped at the borders is manufactured by Baxter International, Inc. of Wisconsin. Baxter reports that they have not isolated the contamination, so it cannot determine if the contaminated Heparin was manufactured in their Chinese facility.

Defective drug attorneys are currently at work to help those who have faced devastating consequences due to contaminated Heparin.