A word on Recalls

I wanted to comment on medical device and drug recalls. I work in orthopedics, specializing in total joint replacements (mostly total hips and total knees). When Sulzer had to recall a batch of total hips, it rocked the orthopedic world. Lawsuits flourished, and I believe that Sulzer ultimately had to spin their implant wing into a separate company to stop the payouts taking down the whole company (this is heresay, and I don't know if it is actually true - do your own research).
Then came Vioxx. While there are at least 2 other COX-2 inhibitors on the market (Celebrex and Bextra, and if you believe the drug reps, Mobic as well), it forced us to change our practice. The increased heart attack risk from Vioxx has tainted the other COX-2s, and people are getting paranoid. The thing to remember is that all drugs have side-effects (anyone who says otherwise is lying, clueless, or selling something). Many of those drug side-effects are at least potentially lethal. The question to ask yourself is: "Do the benefits outweigh the risks?" Stay informed, research your medications (google is my search engine of choice), and talk to your healthcare provider. Remember that if you think your medication is causing a side-effect, tell your healthcare provider or pharmacist to report it. The FDA keeps track of these things through what they call ADRs or "Adverse Drug Reaction" reports. It is through this process that the FDA gathers information. From this data they can add or change warnings, notify healthcare providers about new findings, or order recalls.