Generic medication labels need to follow regulations as much as brand names ones. A case outlined by the Wall Street Journal pertains to the relationship between the two different types of drugs and what they put on their labels: Both need to be accurate and comprehensive to avoid causing patient injury.
According to the source, a California resident is suing a drug company because their medicine labels didn't cover all the potential risks of the drug. While the brand-name version of the drug she was prescribed was labeled correctly, the one she actually took was allegedly not. The doctor reportedly didn't know of any side effects associated with the generic because they weren't listed.
The source quotes lawyer Jay Lefkowitz, who says that the brunt of the blame shouldn't be leveled at drug manufacturers alone. The incident that sparked the case was reported in 2011 and the Supreme Court may end up changing a previous ruling because of it.
"I think the issue presented in this case is whether we want juries to second guess the authority and discretion of the FDA, which is charged with drug safety," he said. "Do we really want juries to decide the question of when generic drug makers should update their labeling or do we rely on the FDA?"
There's already a wealth of material that needs to fit on any medication labels. Keeping it all updated means that companies have to have reliable industrial printers to accommodate the fast pace of the industry. Whatever the decision the Supreme Court comes to on this case, generic and brand name drug makers alike should constantly update their product packaging.
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