Reports of adverse drug reactions have been increasing at a dramatic rate over the last decade. That’s according to a new analysis of the FDA database called AERS or Adverse Event Reporting System. This program got its start in 1969. To date, over two million reports have been collected, more than half in just the past decade.
Since 2000, adverse event reports have increased 11 percent a year. Of the 1.6 million reports with an outcome reported, patients were hospitalized 42 percent of the time and 15 percent died as a result of their treatment. Medications for rheumatoid arthritis such as Enbrel, Humira and Remicade were frequently reported, along with the antipsychotic drug Seroquel, the diabetes medicine Byetta, the osteoporosis drug Forteo and a birth control patch called Ortho Evra.
