Tinted Drugs Recalled: Manufacturing May Cause Health Risks

Situation 

According to Lupkin (2019), Anderson was suffering from severe and dangerous life-threatening injuries as a result of taking tinted medicine. His respiratory tract was affected hence infecting his lungs. Besides, Anderson has been on a ventilator, a machine aiding him to inhale and exhale, since 2016. Also, Anderson’s hand is weak due to the suffering from the stroke. As a result, he takes approximately two dozens of different medicines in a day for him to survive. The doses are administered through a port made in his belly (Lupkin, 2019). Although undergoing through medication, Anderson has experienced a lot of suffering due to a drug that was meant to cure him. 

Background 

Since he was born, Anderson seemed healthy until May 2016 when he was taken for his 6-month checkup. At that time, it was discovered that Anderson was suffering from heart failure; thus a transplant was vital for his survival. A tinted stool softener was given at that point before he could go for his operation. Consequently, a test taken reviled his body had B. cepacia, which was traced back to the contaminated drug by PharmaTech (Lupkin, 2019). One month later, Anderson developed breathing problems and high temperatures. His heart condition deteriorated leading to a blood transfusion process from his body for oxygenation, before being pumped back. In November 2016, a heart transplant was conducted on Anderson, but his health did not improve. A few days later, more complications emerged from his lungs. According to Lupkin (2019), Anderson was suffering from severe and dangerous life-threatening injuries as a result of taking tinted medicine. His respiratory tract is affected hence infecting his lungs. Besides, Anderson has been on a ventilator, a machine aiding him to inhale and exhale, since 2016. Also, the stroke that Anderson was suffering from weakened his hand. As a result, he takes approximately two dozens of different medicines in a day for him to survive. The doses are administered through a port made in his belly (Lupkin, 2019). Although undergoing through medication, Anderson has experienced a lot of suffering due to a drug that was thought to cure him. 

Since he was born, Anderson seemed healthy until May 2016 when he went for his 6-month checkup. Heart failure was identified at that time; thus a transplant being vital for his survival. A tinted stool softener was given to him before he could go for his operation. Consequently, a test taken reviled his body had B. cepacia, which was traced back to the contaminated drug by PharmaTech (Lupkin, 2019). One month later, Anderson developed breathing problems and high temperatures. His heart condition deteriorated, resulting a blood transfusion from his body for oxygenation before being pumped back. In November 2016, a heart transplant was conducted on Anderson, but his health did not improve. A few days later, the lungs problem escalated forcing him to acquire a more complicated breathing machine. A medical report showed that he was suffering from a flu-like virus and B. cepacia (Lupkin, 2019). Such problems could have been avoided if the drug given was of the right standard. 

Assessment 

An investigation by FDA reviled that some medicines contained some impurities and therefore not fit for human consumption. For instance, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), an impurity causing cancer was detected in some blood pressure medicines (Lupkin, 2019). Additionally, the stool softener drug that Anderson had taken, among others, were found unfit human consumption and recalled. Besides, a bacteria was detected in it after a disease outbreak. Apart from Anderson, research showed that the drug alleged to have sickened him had severely infected approximately 63 more individuals in 12 states (Lupkin, 2019). Such statistics indicate that the quality of the drug is wanting, hence putting the patient’s life at risk. Subsequently, an action should be taken against such manufactures. 

Recommendation 

For a healthier society, organizations manufacturing tinted drugs should be recalled. Serious inspections should be conducted to ensure that all medicines are of the right quality and standard. However, some drug production should be seized when necessary. Additionally, enforcement actions such as blocking imports of foreign plant products, and issuance of warning letters should be issued to medicine production companies that are cited with safety violations (Lupkin, 2019). FDA should identify hazards such as tinted medicines before they occur. 

One of the health policy decisions being to achieve health care goals in a society, the article has a similar intention since the main intention is to see tinted drugs recalled. Consequently, many lives will be saved in the community and patient’s health reinstated. 

Reference  

Lupkin, S. (2019). Tinted Drugs. When Medicine Makes Patients Sicker. Retrieved from https://khn.org/news/how-tainted-drugs-reach-market-make-patients-sicker/