Category: Unsafe Drugs

Diabetes Medication Actos Linked To Bladder Cancer

The diabetes drug Actos has been linked to bladder cancer.  A lawsuit has already been filed in court against Takeda Pharmaceuticals claiming that its diabetes medication Actos caused the plaintiff’s bladder cancer.  In the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges that Takeda failed to warn of the risks of bladder cancer connected with Actos and that had there been such a warning the plaintiff would have sought an alternative course of treatment. 

Recent studies have indicated a connection between Actos usage and an increased likelihood of bladder cancer.  The FDA studied data from the first five years of a 10 year Actos safety study begun in 2002 and concluded that risk of bladder cancer was 40 percent higher for patients taking Actos for at least one year.  Doctors in France and Germany have been advised to stop prescribing Actos. If you or a loved one has taken Actos for more than one year, you may have a claim for damages and should contact our attorneys today at 860-667-0839.

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Darvon and Darvocet Injuries

Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals Inc. the maker of Darvon and Darvocet, the brand version of the prescription pain medication propoxyphene, has agreed to withdraw the medication from the U.S. market at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA also informed the generic manufacturers of propoxyphene-containing products of Xanodyne’s decision and requested that they voluntarily remove their products as well. The FDA sought market withdrawal of propoxyphene after receiving new clinical data showing that the drug puts patients at risk of potentially serious and even fatal heart rhythm abnormalities. As a result of the data and other information, the FDA decided that the risks of the medication outweigh the benefits. Studies show that, even when taken at recommended doses, propoxyphene causes significant changes to the electrical activity of the heart. These changes, which can be seen on an electrocardiogram (ECG), can increase the risk for serious abnormal heart rhythms that have been linked to serious adverse effects, including sudden death. The available data also indicate that the risk of adverse events for any particular patient (even patients who have taken the drug for many years) is subject to change based on small changes in the health status of the patient, such as dehydration, a change in medications, or decreased kidney function.

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First Yaz and Yasmin Bellwether Trials Scheduled

On October 13, 2010 Judge David Herndon, who is presiding over the federal court YAZ and Yasmin MDL, ordered trial dates for bellwether trials.  The order further identified the order of the three bellwether trials, the dates of the trials, and the claimed injury in the cases.  The schedule is set forth below.

1. The first trial is set September 12, 2011. This will be a pulmonary embolism (PE) case.

2. The second trial is set January 9, 2012. This will be a gallbladder (GB) case.

3. The third trial is set April 2, 2012. This will be an additional thromboembolic (VTE) case.

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Yaz Gallbladder Disease

Gallbladder disease is one of the dangerous side effects of Yaz and Yasmin birth control pills. Throughout the U.S., women who have taken Yaz or Yasmin have developed gallstones as a result. In many cases, these women have had to undergo gallbladder removal surgery.  Yasmin and Yaz present an increased risk of gallbladder disease because of the ingredient drospirenone. Drospirenone is a diuretic, and medical studies have shown that long-term use of diuretics can lead to gallbladder disease. The gallbladder assists with the body’s digestive process. Bile is stored in the gallbladder until the body needs it to digest fats. The gallbladder then contracts, pushing the bile into the common bile duct. Gallstones form when bile is stored in the gallbladder for too long, allowing the liquid to harden into small stone-like pieces. Yaz and Yasmin can increase the level of cholesterol in the bile while at the same time decreasing gallbladder contractions. The symptoms of Yaz gallbladder disease include:

  • Abdominal pain and bloating
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Jaundice

If you or a loved one have been using Yaz and have been experiencing such symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

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FDA Drug Approval Is Not A Shield From Lawsuits – Supreme Court Rules

In one of the most important cases in years for injured plaintiffs, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that a drug company is not protected from injury claims in state court merely because the federal government had approved the product and its labeling.

The 6-to-3 ruling went in favor of a Vermont musician, Diana Levine, who was awarded more than $6 million after losing much of her arm following a botched injection of an anti-nausea drug. It was a defeat for the pharmaceutical company, which had asked the justices to throw out the award, and by extension other companies that might have pursued Wyeth’s line of argument in similar cases. 

This decision has destroyed the drug companies defense that failure to warn claims were barred by federal preemption.  The case marks a great victory for the rights of injured people.  Read the Levine decision here.

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