Published: July 02, 2009 07:13 pm      

Drug safety

FDA panel looks at ill effects of painkillers

A government panel’s recommendations that increased safety restrictions be placed on the maximum dosage of one of America’s most common painkillers and that certain prescription drugs be eliminated altogether is long overdue.

For some users of these drugs, this action has come too late. It is estimated that 56,000 people require emergency treatment each year because they have overdosed on acetaminophen products — the basis for Tylenol — and about 200 die each year. Inadvertent overdosing on acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S.

The expert panel assembled by the Food and Drug Administration also rejected suggestions that over-the-counter cold medicines that combine acetaminophen be taken from the shelves.

It is time for the FDA to take a good look at how Americans use both prescription and nonprescription medications.

Possible overuse of prescription drugs is being considered as at least a contributor to the recent death of pop star Michael Jackson. Regardless of whether this is the case, it’s almost certain that abuse or misuse of pharmaceuticals has a hand in causing the deaths or onset of disability in many other less-famous people.

Our human frailties often subject us to a variety of ailments that can include circulatory, digestive, mental health and joint problems, each of which may be controlled by medication. Taken individually, they may pose no problem — but when taken in combination, that may be a different story.

If you have any questions about the medications you take, ask your physician. He should be glad to discuss it with you.