The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7495 p352
29 March 2008

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Conservatives uncover 130 per cent increase in deaths due to medicines adverse effects

Research carried out for the Conservative Party has found that the number of deaths associated with adverse drug reactions has risen by 130 per cent over the past 10 years.

Fatal ADR reports rose from 447 in 1997 to 1,031 last year, according to data collected by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The number of prolonged hospital admissions resulting from ADRs increased by 82 per cent from 2,484 to 4,545 over the same period. And the total number of reports received rose by 30 per cent to 21,600.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: “These figures show a worrying trend towards more serious drug reaction leading to hospitalisation and a sharp increase in the number of deaths. This warrants further investigation but clearly indicates that alongside the benefits of new drug treatments, we must have an improved system of patient safety.”