Drug Products Liability
Recent news regarding potentially defective drugs:
Baycol designed as a cholesterol-lowering drug known as a statin , was mostly prescribed for the treatment of high cholesterol. By blocking a liver enzyme that causes cholesterol, statins reduce the liver's cholesterol production. Cerivastatin is also referred to as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (which also blocks the particular liver enzyme that produces cholesterol). Bayer voluntarily withdrew Baycol from the market on August 8, 2001, after reports of deaths associated with Baycol and many liver and kidney problems in patients who were using Baycol.
Ephedra. The recent deaths of three football players who may have been taking nutritional supplements containing ephedra compounds has everyone from professional athletes to teenage dieters to weekend gym rats wondering what they've been putting into their bodies--and at what risk.
Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) is an ingredient used in prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drug products as a nasal decongestant to relieve stuffy nose or sinus congestion and in OTC weight control drug products to control appetite. A scientific study found an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke in women who used phenylpropanolamine, although it is not clear which isomer is to blame. A study at the Yale University School of Medicine in 1999 had produced similar results. Reports of cases of hemorrhagic strokes in PPA users had been circulating since the 1970s. In November 2000, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health advisory against the use of the drug. In this advisory, the FDA requested that all drug companies discontinue marketing products containing phenylpropanolamine. The agency estimates that PPA caused between 200 and 500 strokes a year among 18-to-49-year-old users. In 2005 the FDA removed phenylpropanolamine from over-the-counter sale.
Rezulin use has been known to be the cause of jaundice, hepatitis, liver failure, liver transplants and the cause of at least 65 deaths since it was introduced.
Propulsid was prescribed for many adults suffering the symptoms of nighttime heartburn and for many infants suffering from colic. However, after the FDA received numerous reports linking the drug to dangerous side effects - including at least 80 deaths - the manufacturer announced in March of this year that Propulsid no longer would be marketed in the United States.
If you or a loved one has suffered as a result of a defective drug, immediately Call us at 800-404-5400 or contact us online for a FREE consultation.