International Coalition For Drug Awareness

International Coalition For Drug Awareness is a private, non-profit group of physicians, researchers, journalists and concerned citizens.

Our primary focus is to address the world's most pervasive and subtle drug problem—prescription drugs. We are dedicated to educating the people of the world regarding the potential harmful and life threatening short and long term effects of these drugs along with the serious problems associated with the unethical marketing techniques of pharmaceutical companies and the off-label prescribing of these drugs by many physicians. As the cause of an estimated 200,000 deaths per year in America, drug reactions are now the third leading cause of death!

The most dangerous period of time for a drug is upon market introduction. At that point physicians and their patients have information on adverse reactions present in the controlled environment of a clinical trial, but are unaware of the potential adverse reactions of these new drugs when dispensed to the general public. We feel there is a need to track and report patient reactions more carefully and more rapidly than what is presently being done, which should result in lower medical costs for the patients and doctors as well. And also might begin to bridge the gap that is beginning to form between well-meaning doctors and maltreated patients.

By keeping prescribing physicians and their patients abreast of recent adverse reaction reports and approved uses of drugs as opposed to their off-label uses, we hope to cut the number of unnecessary deaths due to drug reactions and interactions and lessen the number of malpractice suits filed against physicians as a result of those reactions. Beyond this public education process our intention is to serve as a watchdog group over the FDA and similar organizations around the world, encouraging them to remove drugs which demonstrate high numbers of dangerous adverse reactions and threaten the public safety.

Their board is composed of medical professionals. They also have a good collection of online resources