Today is National Adverse Drug Event Awareness Day

Did you know harm from prescribed medication is the 4th leading cause of death? (Some even say it’s the 3rd leading cause behind cancer and heart disease.) Regardless, it shouldn’t be this way.

959 deaths a day, over 350k every year. That’s like five 737 planes full of people falling out of the sky, every day.

Well, if that truly happened, there would be huge investigations into why this was happening. Unfortunately, harms caused by medicines happen one at a time. Person by person and in isolation.

The goal of this day is to connect the dots and raise awareness. If you were like me and our family, 20 years ago we blindly trusted and assumed the drug my husband was given by his doctor would help and certainly not harm him. Little did we ever think the medication he was given would be the cause of his death.

The Story of the Accidental Advocate

Since then I have learned a lot about our flawed drug safety system that puts more emphasis on the benefits of treatments vs the harms. There’s way too many self interests at play that don’t want to talk about the ugly side of medicine. Plus, there’s the plain fact that no one thinks it will ever happen to them. Until it does.

Safety has and always will be my priority. It’s why I am involved in helping call attention to this massive public health crisis.

Please join me in highlighting National Adverse Drug Event Awareness Day, as we present an exclusive screening of the impactful documentary, "IF I HAD KNOWN THE RxISKS". This 30-minute film takes you through a harrowing journey of discovery, highlighting a serious and life-changing adverse drug event that poses critical questions about medication safety and healthcare practices. The evening will not only offer you the chance to watch my friend Bob Schwartz’s compelling documentary but also an opportunity to meet Bob, the director and others.

Bob’s demise began when he to his doctor about back pain causing difficulty focusing at work. With no history or psychological testing, his doctor quickly prescribed him the highest dose of the ADHD drug Concerta (54 mg) which completely altered his life after 5 days. Fortunately, Bob survived, albeit with cognitive impairment and neurological damage. He reported his side effects to the doctor, Johnson&Johnson, the Georgia Medical Board and to the FDA Medwatch FAERS system. To this day, twenty years nothing has been done about Bob’s report. Like many who live with harms, they feel abandoned, ghosted and censored.

Here’s the official trailer from Bob’s story.

Despite Bob’s neurological challenges, he bravely shares his experience and advocates for all of us. After the screening, there will be a Q&A session and opportunity to participate in a vital dialogue on the significance of drug safety and awareness. This evening aims to educate, enlighten, and discuss this important and potentially lifesaving topic of advocating and calling for safer medical practices. Whether you are a healthcare professional, consumer, patient advocate, or someone interested in understanding the impact of harms in medicine, this event promises to be worth your time. (Note: If you are not able to participate live, the event is being recorded and a link will be available later this week.)

Event Details: Sunday, March 24th Time: 7pm CT

Zoom Details: https://lnkd.in/gefh7RGt

Event Agenda:

7:00 PM: Welcome & Introductions

7:15 PM: Film Screening: "IF I HAD KNOWN THE RxISKS"

7:45 PM: Acknowledgements

8:00 PM: Q&A Session

We need to keep shining a light on the dangers posed by medications and advocating for strong drug safety measures long after tonight’s event concludes.

I truly believe that with each tear shed and heartbreak endured, the ocean of humanity’s awareness grows. If you have a story to share, please do so in the comments. You are not alone.

People shouldn’t have to wait until it becomes personal to care about this issue.

It’s time to shift the narrative away from viewing risks in medicine merely as numbers and statistics. Behind each statistic lies a human being—a life with inherent value and significance. These individuals should never be considered acceptable collateral damage or a cost of doing business. They should not be viewed as numbers to be factored into future actuarial risk assessments or litigation costs.

Every # represents someone’s — beloved partner, a cherished child, a devoted parent, a sibling, a grandparent, a loyal friend, or a valued coworker. Their stories, their loves, their dreams, and their presence in the lives of those around them cannot be reduced to mere data points. It’s time we recognize the profound impact the healthcare system, pharmaceutical companies, regulators, and doctors actions have on humanity and start valuing human lives above any cost or calculation.