Drug Injury Lawyers Blog
Pharmaceutical companies develop, test, market and sell prescription medications that are supposed to treat a litany of medical conditions, from asthma and acne to heart disease and high blood pressure. Pharmaceutical companies are phenomenal at marketing and selling their products, but what about testing? All drugs have unintended side effects, but some can be life-threatening. Without proper testing, medications often enter the market carrying excessive, and unknown (at least to the general public) risks. Below are five such prescription medications, and information about victims’ lawsuits.
Invokamet
More than 28 million Americans have type 2 diabetes. Many are suffering from risks associated with this disease, including blindness, kidney failure, and neurological damage. A medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, Invokamet, helps these patients manage insulin levels by regulating the liver’s glucose production. Unfortunately, Invokamet is linked to multiple health issues, from bone fractures to ketoacidosis, a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by excessive amounts of acid in the blood.
Onglyza
Also for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, Onglyza has its own set of serious health risks. In fact, the FDA recently warned that Onglyza, and other drugs in this class, increase the risk of heart failure and could cause death. A Boston drug injury lawyer can help you determine how to proceed if you’ve been harmed by a dangerous or defective medication.
Xarelto
Marketed aggressively as a low-maintenance alternative to warfarin, the anticoagulant (blood thinner) Xarelto quickly grew in popularity when it hit the market. Although all blood thinners carry an increased risk of excessive bleeding, Xarelto’s predecessor warfarin has an antidote. To date, no antidote exists to stop excessive bleeding caused by Xarelto. As a result, thousands have been seriously injured, some fatally. Xarelto manufacturers, Janssen and Bayer, are facing mounting lawsuits from patients who claim they were never warned of these life-threatening side effects.
Zofran
Originally developed to treat nausea in chemotherapy patients, Zofran soon gained popularity with moms-to-be who were suffering from morning sickness. Unfortunately, the drug was never approved for use in pregnant women, and serious birth defects occurred as a result. Nearly 500 lawsuits are pending in federal court against Zofran’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline. A MA drug injury lawyer can help you recover damages if you’ve been injured by a dangerous or defective prescription drug.
Risperdal
Young men who use Risperdal to treat emotional and cognitive disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism, may develop a painful—and embarrassing—condition known as gynecomastia. In layman’s terms, this antipsychotic drug can cause breast enlargement in young men. Even though Risperdal’s manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, knew about this risk, it failed to warn patients. Making matters worse, the drug was never approved for adolescent use. In addition to painful procedures to remedy this condition, many young men suffer severe emotional trauma as a result of their breast development. A Philadelphia jury recently awarded $70 million to one such victim. Continue reading
