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Tomorrow is July 4, 2009.

In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

It is, according to the philosopher I trust the most, the day we also celebrate obesity in America. It is a day we can OFFICIALLY AND MUST gorge upon all the hot dogs, hamburgers and everything else we can stuff into our mouths and not only feel good about it, but patriotic as well.

That said, let us reflect for a moment on how far we have come, technically speaking, from the year 1776, when modern communication then meant signals from horseback rather than from an iPod.

But, have we come very far, really?

We have, you might say, when it comes to the commercial dissemination of media content-movies, music, and videos.

But, what about news you must know immediately?  In that regard I think we have stalled.

When is the last time you received an email from your perpetually snoozing FDA alerting you to a drug recall, that might, say, seriously affect your health? Don't remember?.

I don't either, but a short article by Peter Loftus placed in the top, right corner of page B4 of today's, July 3, 2009, WSJ titled: 'U.K. Issues Recall Of Various Generics' caught my eye.

According to the article the U.K has recalled a number of commonly used generic drugs manufatured in Mumbai, India by a company called Jbilant, because, to paraphrase the article, inspectors there allegedly found 'poor manufacturing methods and innacuracies  in documentation'. 

Below is one Google search result I found on the subject:

Jubilant recalls hypertension drug in UK, sees no big impact MUMBAI,INDIA July 2 (Reuters) -

Jubilant Organosys Ltd said on Thursday it has recalled an anti-hypertension drug from the U.K. market, after the firm that was contracted to make the drug failed a UK regulatory audit.

Reuters via Yahoo! Malaysia News-Jul 01 10:01 PM

I think the reference to 'no big impact' refers to Jubilant's bottom line not your 'bottom'.

HELLO!  WERE YOU NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS AND WHAT IS GOING ON?

Among the drugs referred to in the WSJ article include;

fluoxetine-generic for PROZAC, an anti-depressant

baclofen-generic for LIORESAL, treats muscle spasms and seizures

metformin-generic for GLUCOPHAGE, treats diabetes

amlodipine-generic for NORVASC, treats high blood pressure

naproxen-generic for ALEVE, anti-inflammatory

HERE IS ONE BIG MESSAGE: DO YOU KNOW IF THE GENERIC DRUG, OR BRAND FOR THAT MATTER, THAT YOU TAKE EVERY DAY CAME FROM JUBILANT OR ANY OTHER OF THE EIGHT COMPANIES FROM WHICH THE U.K. ISSUED RECALLS?

IF YOU DON'T KNOW ASK YOUR PHARMACIST AND SEE IF HE OR SHE KNOWS. 

IF YOU GET A VAGUE ANSWER, AS IN 'I DON'T KNOW', WHAT WILL YOU DO?  WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

THE SECOND BIG MESSAGE IS JUST WHERE ARE OUR, AS IN THE GOOD OLE U.S. OF A., REGULATORS AND WHY ARE WE NOT BEING INFORMED IN AN ORDERLY AND PROMPT MANNER ABOUT DRUG RECALLS?

OH, ONE MORE THING, YOU CAN FIND THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN ON YOUR PEACH OR PEAR, BUT CAN YOU FIND IT ON YOUR PROZAC?

 I have made many postings on generics and you can find them by typing 'generics' in the search box.

One, I will repeat, in part, below:

A 2007 law required the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make public what they know about drug problems. It took years of bickering from the public and private sectors to just get the law passed, and years to get the website up and running.

For too long this information has either been kept private, or made available only to 'professionals' like your doctor, and specifically kept from those who really have the need to know, you the patient.

Now, the FDA has put al of the information you need to know in one place at their website http://www.fda.gov/cder/drugsafety.htm.

I encourage you to look at it now, and regularly.

There are many links within the website to other sites of possible critical importance to you.

Keep in mind, what is published on that site is only information that comes to the FDA.

There are many other agencies and organizations that have alot to say about drug and medical device safety about which the FDA may be unaware.

One link on the website is http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.htmlrelates to drug recalls.

One would think that the FDA would notify all of us regularly when drugs or products are recalled, but that doesn't happen.

SO FAR, I THINK THE FDA HAS FAILED US ALL IN THIS REGARD.

PRACTICE HEALTH DEFENSE:

EVERY TIME YOU PICK UP YOUR PRESCRIPTION, ASK THE PHARMACIST:

1. WHAT ARE THE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN AND MANUFACTURE FOR ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS IN MY PRESCRIPTION?

2. ARE THERE ANY RECALLS ON ANY INGREDIENTS IN MY PRESCRIPTION?

3. WHY DON'T YOU KNOW AND WHEN CAN YOU FIND OUT?