On August 31, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced plans to add a black - box warning to approximately 400 drugs in the opioid and benzodiazepine classes. This development was prompted because increasing numbers of people have died from taking a combination of strong painkillers (opioids) like percocet and oxycontin with tranquilizers (benzodiaepine) like valium and xanax which are also used as sleep aids. People who mix opioids and tranquilizers can experience respiratory problems which can lead to comas and death.

Prominent medical professionals, like the Baltimore City Health Commissioner, Dr. Leana Wen said to NBC News: " As an emergency physician, I have seen that in medical training and practice, it is common to prescribe opioid painkillers to a patient taking benzodiazepines for anxiety, and vice versa." Clearly this routine practice should stop now. The FDA estimated that 2.5 million patients had been prescribed this deadly mix between 2002 and 2014 during which time overdose deaths tripled.

If you believe you have a medical malpractice claim regarding prescription drugs, call Ron Burke at 2112-808-8008. For more information, click the links below.

Medical Malpractice

Lack of Informed Consent