People who require medical care tend to assume that the prescription drugs recommended by their doctors are safe. After all, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) generally requires testing to validate that drugs are safe and more effective than placebos.
Unfortunately, a lack of long-term research might lead to unexpected consequences for certain patients. Additionally, issues with drug production can ultimately make potentially safe medications dangerous for certain people. Both prescription drugs and over-the-counter remedies can do more harm than good when there are manufacturing issues.
A recent drug recall helps highlight the importance of cleanliness in manufacturing facilities and quality control procedures.
A recalled nasal spray could cause deadly infections
The FDA recently announced a voluntary manufacturer recall of ReBoost, a homeopathic nasal spray. The reason for the recall is concerning microbial contamination. Specifically, laboratory tests identified mold and yeast, as well as potentially dangerous levels of Achromobacter. There are specific batches of this nasal spray included in this recall, so consumers may need to check their bottles.
Patients using the medication could be at risk of infections that could damage their respiratiry systems. Especially for patients who are immunocompromised or resistant to seeing a physician for early symptoms, as is often the case for those who rely on homeopathic remedies, microbial contamination in a drug administered through the nasal passages could have devastating consequences.
In cases where people end up injured or sickened by unsafe or defective drugs, they may have grounds for a product defect lawsuit. Holding manufacturers accountable for releasing unsafe medications can help those affected pay for medical costs, lost wages and other economic damage caused by defective products.