The specter of fungal meningitis caused by injections of unsterile steroids calls for a closer look at compounding pharmacies. What role do they play and how should they be regulated? Where did the system fail that permitted so many people to be exposed to danger?
Dangers in the Drugstore:
When the doctor prescribes a medicine, we know it may have some side effects. We may look them up ahead of time to know what to expect as dangers in the drugstore. But what if the side effects stay with you long after you stop taking the drug? Would you accept long-lasting sexual problems as a trade-off for reversing baldness?
We welcome listener questions and stories about prescription drug side effects.
Guests on this Episode:
Carmen Catizone is the Executive Director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacies (NABP).
Michael S. Irwig, MD, F.A.C.E., is Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Director of the Center for Andrology at the George Washington University School of Medicine.