Sarasota Dermatology Blog

Double the risk

Posted on 09. Apr, 2009 by Bradley J. Abrams, D.O. in Skin Conditions

Recently a patient read the warning label on a dermatology drug I prescribed.  They were immediately alarmed when they saw the phrase “double the risk” and called me right away to find out if it was really necessary to use this particular prescription.  I was glad they called instead of not using the prescription without telling me. 

It is common for patients to be a little reluctant to take a drug that has a warning stating that a drug may “double the risk” of a rare event like lymphoma.  I highly recommend that patients contact their physician if they have any concerns about the drug they are to use.    It is important for your physician to know if you decide not to take a prescription they ordered to treat an illness.

 Here’s how I explained it to this patient.  First, The  risk may be very small, but the phrase “doubles the risk” sounds horrible.  It is important for the patient to understand that a rare event, like Lymphoma, could happen to anyone at anytime regardless of the medication you may or may not take.   In a sense, we are all have one ticket in a lymphoma lottery.  Therefore, if you take this drug it might mean that you have  two tickets in the lymphoma lottery.  Your risk has “doubled”, but you are still unlikely to get it.