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The number of recalls and alerts for defective prescription drugs in Canada has soared over the last nine years, often highlighting problems that could put patients in significant danger, a new, British-led study reports.
The number of faulty medicines Health Canada reported last year was 143. It was 42 in 2005.
The research found the most common issues were drugs being contaminated by things that shouldn’t be there, and drugs degrading before they’re supposed to.
In Canada, nearly 650 substandard medicines were found; 280 were found in the UK. The drug form most often found to have something wrong with it is tablets.
Researchers say they don’t know whether the numbers are a sign of something that’s becoming more of a problem or if it comes down to the federal government keeping a closer watch and simply catching more of these drugs.
The study concludes the root causes need to be looked into, and manufacturers need to implement stringent preventive measures.
Agencies/Canadajournal
