It’s been estimated that by the middle of this century, cancer rates around the world will rise 75%. Many of these explosions in the rates of cancer will be tied to diet and obesity, environment, and other factors. Unfortunately, some will be tied to the drugs victims have been taking because a doctor orders them to.
While many cancers may be the result of taking drugs over an extended period of time, tracing these cancers as a side effect of medication can be difficult. Clinical trials and studies will usually find that cancer is a side effect long before they are pushed to the market, but more and more Big Pharma companies want to fast-track drugs and get them to doctors with the help of the FDA. While a drug may cause cancer in lab animals, it may be unknown if it will cause cancer in humans.
Some drugs that have been associated with cancer as a side effect include:
- Estrogen drugs used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
- Prilosec causes stomach cancer in lab rats, but it is unknown what it does to humans
- Elidel cream and Protopic ointment used to treat eczema have been linked to lymphoma and skin cancer
- Anabolic steroids have been linked to hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatic angiosarcomas
In addition to these, cancer fighting drugs may actually cause further cancers. Just as radiation can kill tumors, it can create them, too.
If you believe your cancer or that of a loved one was the result of a side effect of a drug prescribed to you, please contact an experienced drug injury attorney in your area today.