The Dangers of Medications and Medical Devices

The Dangers of Medications and Medical Devices

There are millions of medications and medical devices being used every day. Everyone using them is under the assumption they are all safe, but that may not be the case. Doing your research and staying up-to-date on related medical issues is important to your health now and in the future.

What constitutes a medical device? A medical device is an instrument designed to help in the treatment of a health related issue. These devices if used properly can dramatically improve the life of someone with medical suffering. All medical devices must be approved by the division in the FDA, Food and Drug Administration called the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). The CDRH test and approves devices to make sure they are safe and effective.

Medications take longer to approve than medical devices. It can take years for approval to come from the FDA. On average it can take 12 years and over $350 million to get the medication approved. A series of test are done which involve a preclinical test and three phases of human clinical trials.

With both medical devices and medication the pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers are responsible for any injuries or deaths caused by their product.

Here are some great resources to help you check for recalls, see which products are safe, and do more research.

Federal Trade Commission – www.ftc.gov

Consumer Product Safety Commission – www.CPSC.gov

Recalls – www.recalls.gov

Consumer Affairs – www.consumeraffairs.com

U.S. Food and Drug Administration – www.FDA.gov

Source: The Safety Report, “Do Your Research: Medication and Medical Devices,” Stephanie Andrea, March 27. 2013.

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