Prescription drugs now average 70 side effects
The side effects shown on the list that accompanies prescription drugs now averages 70 reactions per drug, posing an overwhelming problem for physicians as they try to weigh the risks and benefits when prescribing for patients. The more commonly prescribed drugs average around 100 side effects – one drug even listed 525 possible reactions.
A new study of drug labels from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University School of Medicine demonstrates the complexity of drug labels. The lead author, Jon Duke, M.D., Regenstrief Institute investigator and assistant professor of medicine at the IU School of Medicine, said that much of the labeling has less to do with true toxicity than with protecting manufacturers from potential lawsuits.
The greatest number of side effects was found in antidepressants, antiviral medications and newer treatments for restless legs syndrome and Parkinson’s disease. In general, medications typically used by psychiatrists and neurologists had the most complex labels, while drugs used by dermatologists and ophthalmologists had the least.
