Staying Informed - Are You Sure Your Pain Meds Are Safe?

(c) FDA

The FDA has a system whereby doctors can report what they call "adverse events". These are bad reactions that sometimes occur after a patient takes a drug or has a device installed. Items on this list suggest potential problems with a treatment.

Now the FDA has created a list you can consult to see if your medication is being scrutinized for issues. The determination to scrutinize is based on these adverse event reports. The list is not complete - it is based solely on adverse event reports submitted voluntarily by doctors. If your medication or surgery is not found on the list, there may still be problems with it. If it is, this doesn't necessarily mean there is a real problem, as adverse event reporting functions more like a flag for a potential problem than a final ruling. The list is called the Quarterly Report. Here is a link to the Quarterly Report from Jan '08 through March '08.

The sad thing about this list is it doesn't include the Fentanyl Patch, which is often used by chronic back pain patients to control moderate to severe pain. I say it's sad because in December 2007, the Fentanyl patch and its generic equivalents were found by the FDA to have repeated "death and life-threatening side effects" in people who use them. And in February of 2008, there were several recalls of this product because of double dosed patches and faulty packaging.

So use the FDA Quarterly Report to help stay informed about the safety of your medications, but don't stop there. Search the FDA's site for your medication and cross check between reputable sources for the latest news. You can always check the Back and Neck Pain Blog. I try very hard to report any medication and surgery safety issues for my readers. For example, quite recently the FDA found that TNF blockers comes with the risk for fungal infection. TNF blockers are used for ankylosing spondylitis.

By the way, as a consumer, you, too, can report adverse events associated with your medication. Here is the link for that.

_{Sources:
FDA Public Health Advisory. Important Information for the Safe Use of Fentanyl Transdermal System (Patch). Dec 21, 2007.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Voluntary Reporting by Health Professionals.
Reinberg, S. FDA to List Drugs Under Review for Safety Issues. Sept 5, 2008.}