Millions of men in the United States have been prescribed Viagra® (sildenafil citrate) since it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and released for sale in March 1998. Upon its release, its list of side effects included symptoms like headaches, flushing, upset stomach, nasal congestion, back pain, and nausea. However, a 2014 study involving nearly 26,000 patients...
Xarelto® is a blood thinner that’s often prescribed to people who undergo joint replacement surgery or who have valvular atrial fibrillation. Like all blood thinners, Xarelto increases the risk of serious bleeding events. But unlike other common blood thinners, including warfarin, there are no drugs that counteract Xarelto’s blood-thinning mechanism, making bleeding much more difficult to slow down or stop. People who...
Prescription drugs have thankfully come a long way in the past 50 years. Looking back on some of the concoctions that were marketed back then as safe would make your skin crawl. We simply didn’t have the information and expertise we have today. From cancer-crushing drugs to over-the-counter solutions, the pharmaceutical industry has taken giant leaps in recent years. Unfortunately, risks...
Consider this scenario. You are a scientist who discovers a formula for relieving the symptoms of a painful but not life-threatening condition such as heartburn. You develop the medication, run safety trials, and discover that the drug is extremely effective in treating heartburn symptoms in almost every patient who takes it. However, there’s a 25% chance that users will be at...
The science of pharmaceuticals has come a long way in the last 50 years. From lifesaving vaccinations to drugs that reverse the impact of deadly disease, no one can dispute the benefits of these medical advancements. Due to that success, the pharmaceutical industry has become more and more profitable, leading some manufacturers to forget that along with their positive impacts,...
Chances are you have someone in your life right now that has been impacted by cancer. Along with the increased diagnoses have come incredible medical advancements. Treatment plans now include a number of approaches, each giving the patient an increased chance of beating the disease. However, every treatment plan comes with side effects, especially those involving chemotherapy. The patient has...
