Editing Adverse effect (section)

==Controversies==
Sometimes, putative medical adverse effects are regarded as controversial and generate heated discussions in society and [[lawsuit]]s against drug manufacturers. One example is the recent controversy as to whether [[controversies in autism|autism]] was linked to the [[MMR vaccine]] (or to [[thiomersal]], a [[Mercury (element)|mercury]]-based preservative used in some [[vaccine]]s). No link has been found in several large studies, and despite removal of thimerosal from most early childhood vaccines beginning with those manufactured in 2003, the rate of autism has not decreased as would be expected if it had been the causative agent.<ref>{{cite web|title=Thimerosal in Vaccines|url=https://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228|publisher=U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|access-date=March 16, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106215029/https://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228|archive-date=January 6, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=CDC sees autism rate rise 25%|author=Jaslow, R.|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-sees-autism-rate-rise-25/|newspaper=CBS News|date=March 29, 2012|access-date=March 16, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130320222531/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57406450/cdc-sees-autism-rate-rise-25-/|archive-date=March 20, 2013}}</ref>

Another instance is the potential adverse effects of [[silicone]] [[breast implant]]s, which led to class actions brought by tens of thousands of plaintiffs against manufacturers of gel-based implants, due to allegations of damage to the [[immune system]] which have not yet been conclusively proven.<ref>{{cite web|title=Silicone Breast Implants in Relation to Connective Tissue Diseases and Immunologic Dysfunction|url=http://www.fjc.gov/BREIMLIT/SCIENCE/summary.htm|access-date=March 16, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130303153227/http://www.fjc.gov/BREIMLIT/SCIENCE/summary.htm|archive-date=2013-03-03}}</ref> In 1998, Dow Corning settled its remaining suits for $3.2 Billion and went into bankruptcy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Breast Implant Litigation Timeline |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/implants/cron.html |website=Frontline |access-date=2023-05-20 |archive-date=2018-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620080550/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/implants/cron.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Due to the exceedingly high impact on public health of widely used medications, such as [[hormonal contraception]] and [[Hormone replacement therapy (menopause)|hormone replacement therapy]], which may affect millions of users, even marginal probabilities of adverse effects of a severe nature, such as [[breast cancer]], have led to public outcry and changes in medical therapy, although its benefits largely surpassed the statistical risks.