Unsafe manufacturing might derive from low-cost medications

Prescription medications intended to treat allergies and colds isn’t typically on the list of dangerous drugs. The Food and Drug Administration has recalled over 500 medicines intended to do just that. This recall cites the belief that many of these medications are simply untested. As this recall highlights, the cost savings from manufacturing medicines in emerging markets may not be worth the security trade-off.

Specific medications recalled by FDA

There were over five hundred prescription drugs recalled by the Food and Drug Administration recently. These were cold, allergy and cough medications. The drug's use a combination of decongestants and cough suppressants in them and come from many suppliers. Several of the medicines were very old. The Food and Drug Administration couldn't even get information from some of the companies on the medicine. Many of the medications never got FDA approval. They were just sold anyway. Several of the drugs were recommended for kids and babies. The Food and Drug Administration does not recommend that this kind of medication be used for kids under 2 years old.

Spending money on medications that do not work

It can cost lots of money to manufacture prescription medicine. Before a compound is changed into pills, sometimes it’s created in a different country. In other cases, a business will send chemical information to a production plant in another country. Emerging markets, such as India and China, have plants that report to cut costs of a medicine by 20 percent to 50 percent. Especially for generic medications, this helps cut the cost to customers by even more. A failure rate between 4 and 10 percent is clear in these markets though. That means billions are spent on medications that do not work right because of the $287 billion United States industry.

Government spending contains senior citizen medication

New programs that help cover the cost of prescription medications for senior citizens started at the first of the year by the federal government. The cost of prescription medicines costs the government millions and medicine companies millions to get out there. The investment may not be worth it for several. On average, every $1 that is spent on prescription medication saves, in hospital care, about $4, according to a 1999 study. You will find definitely a lot of troubles with prescription medications. As long as they are working and safe though, it may be a really good investment to make.

Articles cited

National Center for Policy Analysis

ncpa.org/pub/st230

CNN

articles.cnn.com/2009-03-19/health/ep.prescription.drug.costs_1_prescription-drugs-elderly-patients-coumadin?_s=PM:HEALTH

Heartland

heartland.org/healthpolicy-news.org/article/29447/Study_Drugs_from_Emerging_Markets_Have_High_Failure_Rates.html

FDA

fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/EnforcementActivitiesbyFDA/SelectedEnforcementActionsonUnapprovedDrugs/ucm245106.htm