From thalidomide to rofecoxib: Can we afford to wait and watch?

S.A. Khan, P.G.M. Rao, G.S. Rodrigues, S. Rajan, A. Heda

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Drug safety constitutes the cornerstone of modern therapeutics. Nowadays, the focus tends to be more on the hazards of drugs rather than on their benefits. This article describes from a healthcare professional's viewpoint the history behind two major drug disasters: thalidomide and rofecoxib and the reasons why drug withdrawals continue, taking the classic example of rofecoxib despite our safety concerns and the method to overcome those disasters in the future. The paper highlights the major steps to be followed for pharmacovigilance as an effective component of drug safety. The responsibility of healthcare professionals has ultimately to do with patient care and is to promote a culture of safe and efficacious drug use and thereby preventing future disasters related to modern therapeutics. © 2006 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)219-230
Number of pages12
JournalInternational Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine
Volume18
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 2006

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