In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that 426
prescription and over-the-counter drugs were recalled. In 2009, that number surged to 1,742, according to a report on NJ.com, which cited the Gold Sheet. The Gold Sheet is a trade publication analyzes FDA data.
Drug repackager Advantage Dose - which has since closed down - was linked to over 1,000 of 2009's recalls, said NJ.com. But even taking Advantage Dose out of the analysis, recalls increased by a massive 50 percent last year. And, there is no slow down in sight, noted NJ.com.
From January to June of this year, 296 drugs have been recalled, said Bowman Cox, managing editor of the Gold Sheet, wrote NJ.com. "If we continue at this same rate, we could get 600 or more recalls by the end of the year," Cox said. "That's still a very high rate of recalls," quoted NJ.com. "We've seen a trend where the last four years are among the top five for the most number of drug recalls since we began tallying recalls in 1988," said Cox, quoted NJ.com "That's a meaningful development," added Cox.