Our Drug Safety Crisis

The “ARB drugs contaminated with carcinogens” debacle has totally undermined all faith in the safety of our drug supply.  It is a nightmare for our patients, physicians, and pharmacists as we grapple for replacement drugs.   The problem is the ARB drug class is a fantastic drug category, offering efficacy and risk reduction with minimal side effects. Meanwhile, the PPI drug class is looking more hazardous.  Fatty liver, renal insufficiency, gastric polyps, dementia, osteoporosis, and other risks seem elevated in this drug class.  So, we switch people back to the old H2 blockers, only to find they are contaminated with carcinogens. I generally steer patients away from supplements.  The latest Tumeric problems have merely validated my concerns. In the end, we are losing total faith in the safety of our drugs.  Patients now view any new medication with great suspicion.  Simply treating blood pressure has become complicated and patient compliance has definitely fallen.