How do drug manufacturers collect side effects info?
For example, I know for certain, for absolute certain, that a medicine I am taking is having a profoundly positive impact on something it doesn’t treat.
I had my husband try it and he had the same reaction.
I want to make this known. It should be studied. How do I report this?
Or how do I report negative reactions?
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During the trial stage (especially phase 1 and 2) they essentially just note every single thing the participants experience, and anything a relevant number of them have in common is noted as a possible side effect. After release it would require a research study that would be headed by whatever doctor notices the effect – so in this case you would want to tell whoever prescribed you the drug about it, and if it’s unexpected he would initiate a study (or more likely tell someone that has the time and the funding to do so about it), and after the study is concluded if the results are significant it will be published in an academic journal and the effects added to the medication notes.
Keep in mind that “positive” side effects are often not noted – like aspirin is a pain killer AND a blood thinner, but its side effects list will only comment on the lightheadedness and GI/kidney issues. So if you use it as a blood thinner and notice it’s a painkiller, that’s not actually news, even though it’s entirely possible that no one told you about it being a pain killer.
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