By the numbers
2 to 4 Million Hurt – Between 2 to 4 million Americans suffered serious, disabling or fatal injuries after using prescription drugs in 2011, based on estimates from data issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Source: QuarterWatch May 2012, Institute for Safe Medication Practices
80 Percent Generic – Even though nearly 80 percent of all prescriptions written in the United States are filled with generic drugs, the U.S. Supreme Court recently made it nearly impossible to bring suit against generic drug manufacturers when their products cause injury. Source: Generic Drugs, Take Justice Back 2/3
Labeled Wrong – A new study finds that more than two-thirds of generic drugs have some labeling discrepancies. Of more than 1,000 generic drugs reviewed, most had small differences compared to brand-name drugs. However, 9 percent had differences of more than 10 side effects. Source: Inconsistency Seen in Safety Labeling for Generic Drugs, US News & World Report Health