Just because a drug hasn’t been pulled off the market yet doesn’t make it safe.  Recalled drugs are only part of the problem.

After all, there are plenty  of drugs out there that have quietly gone away after YEARS of wreaking havoc on unsuspecting people. Or worse, after killing untold numbers of them.

It’s proof that the current system—in which getting a drug approved appears to be more about who you know rather than about a drug’s safety or usefulness—is incredibly, and dangerously, broken.

And while some major drugs being pulled from the market are apparently worthy of lead stories on the 11 o’clock news, all too often the stories about “minor” recalled drugs—or the less “sexy” ones—are tucked away in places where they’re far too easy to miss.

8 dangerous drugs recalled by the FDA

Following is a list of eight of the most dangerous drugs the FDA has  pulled off the market….

1. Vioxx:

I’m sure you’re familiar with this infamous anti-inflammatory. Merck had to pull Vioxx off the global market in 2004 after a clinical study demonstrated that it significantly increased the risk of cardiovascular “events” such as heart attacks and strokes.

The drug was reportedly associated with over 27,000 heart attacks or sudden heart related deaths between 1999 and 2003.

Safer solution: Natural anti-inflammatories and pain relievers such as…

• curcumin,
• Devil’s Claw
• or bromelain.

2. Bextra:

Like Vioxx, this prescription NSAID painkiller caused an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

In addition it increased users risk for certain skin reactions and gastrointestinal bleeding. Pfizer pulled it off the market in the U.S. a year after the Vioxx fiasco in 2005.

Safer solution: See above, as well as consider…

• soothing moist heat compresses,
• acupuncture,
• simple stretches or
• pain-relieving exercises.

3. Meridia:

Meridia an appetite suppressant was pulled from the market in October 2010 because it increased users risks for heart problems and strokes. That was over six years after an FDA reviewer, testified before a Senate committee that the drug’s sales should be stopped, or at the very  least limited.

Safer solution: Get more quality sleep, don’t forget “cheat meals”  and eat more avocados.

4. Baycol:

This cholesterol-lowering drug caused users to suffer from a much higher rate of rhabdomyolysis, a debilitating muscle ailment that can be fatal. There were 52 reported deaths that were directly linked to Baycol, and it was yanked off the market in the U.S. in 2001.

Safer solution: Consider cholesterol lowering foods, eat more nuts, try cinnamon.

5. Palladone:

This slow-release narcotic painkiller by Purdue Pharma was pulled off the market in the U.S. in 2005 because it was found to cause side effects like depression and even coma when mixed with alcohol.

Safer solution: See #1 and #2 above and consider…

• drug free topical pain relievers,
• lavender essential oil,
• and pain prevention techniques.

6. Accutane:

If you know anyone who suffered with acne from the early 80s through June 2009 their doctor likely pushed Accutane on them. The trouble is Accutane was as dangerous as they come. The drug increased the risk of birth defects, miscarriages and premature births.

And the trouble didn’t stop there, it also sent your risk for inflammatory bowel disease and suicidal thoughts skyrocketing. A staggering 7,000+ lawsuits were filed against the ugly drug over the dangerous and deadly side effects.

Safer solution: Take a look at these 10 natural solutions to eliminating acne.

7.  Cylert:

Cylert was a stimulant (legal speed) given to children and adults diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Officials knew there was a problem with the drug as early as 1999 when the FDA had a box added to Cylert that warned of potential liver damage. Turns out that Cylert patients had as much as a 25 percent higher rate of liver failure compared to the general population.

But Abbott didn’t pull the drug off the U.S. market until 2005 after the FDA discovered 13 cases of liver failure. It was pulled due to it causing liver toxicity.

Safer solution: Learn the details about the mineral deficiency that’s linked to ADHD.

8. Darvon and Darvocet:

This opioid painkiller had been ruining—and taking—lives since 1955 when the FDA finally  yanked it off the market for heart toxcity.

Despite being petitioned twice over the years to remove the drug the FDA didn’t pull it until it had reportedly killed at least 2,110 people from the early 80s to the late 90s.

Safer solution: See #1, #2 and #5 above and read 4 ways to reduce pain naturally.

FDA to post drugs with “potential safety issues” on website

The FDA now posts  a list of all the potentially dangerous drugs that it’s evaluating for potential safety issues on the FDA website.

“If a drug appears on a quarterly report, it means we have begun analysis to determine whether it’s a safety problem that requires further evaluation,” said the FDA’s director of the Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Dr. Gerald Dal Pan.

While the list will name the drug and the potential problems that are associated with it, it still will stop short of giving all the critical details. The list will NOT mention the extent of the potential safety issue, nor will it reveal how many reports of adverse reactions have been filed.

However if you are currently taking any prescription drugs  it can be a useful tool to use to check up on their status. Click here to take a look at the latest report from the FDA.

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