[Developments in drugs and populations at risk].

No therapeutic effectiveness without unwanted side-effects. This well-known problem persists in spite of modern methods for development of new drugs. Therefore no drug-therapy should be initiated without exact risk-benefit-analysis. Especially for drugs introduced recently, effectiveness is better defined than tolerance. In the USA annual costs of 3 million $ due to drug-side-effects have been estimated, indicating an immense socio-economic relevance next to medical or personal aspects. Therefore effective means and strategies should be accepted and used: General reduction of drug consumption, avoidance of polytherapy with respect to known and unknown interaction of side-effects, strict observation of proper indications, amelioration of surveillance for recently introduced drugs and better consideration of special populations at risk.