Pharmaceutical companies and their duty to warn

Over the course of a Kentucky resident’s life they may be prescribed various medications that are intended to improve their health. As children, they may be given antibiotics to heal infections. As they age they may be given medications to decrease their pain, improve their circulation, and remedy other medical conditions. The prescription drugs that they are prescribed have often undergone heavily regulated studies to ensure their efficacy and general safety. That is not to say, however, that they are completely free of all possible dangers.

Prescription drugs can be useful tools for fighting disease, but some can cause hazardous and even life-threatening conditions in those who take them. Side effects, drug interactions, and other dangers may not be experienced by all who take certain medications, but because pharmaceutical manufacturers know that these incidences may occur they must warn their consumers of those potential harms.

Pharmaceutical companies hold a unique role in that they are considered authorities in the field of drug development and implementation. Because of this status they are best suited to inform others of how and when to use the products that they create. Their duty to warn doctors, patients, and others about possible dangers posed by their drugs stems from their role in researching and making the medications that so many rely on to preserve their health.

The failure of a drug company to warn consumers about a known dangerous side effect in their product may open the window of liability if and when someone is hurt after taking their drug. Victims of dangerous pharmaceuticals may be justified in taking legal action in hopes of recovering compensation for the damages they suffer. Personal injury attorneys in Lexington can advise them of how best to move forward on their individual claims.