Drug Injury Attorney Blog

PriCara, a division of Johnson & Johnson, has recalled two lots of Duragesic, a chronic pain medication delivered through the skin using an adhesive patch. According to financial news site RTT News, the patches may have tears in the area containing the active ingredient. This disables their time-release system for dispensing the drug, an opiate called fentanyl, which can lead to an overdose. Like other opiates, fentanyl has potentially fatal effects in an overdose, including breathing problems, seizures and slow heartbeat. Information about the recall is available on Duragesic's Web site.

This is the second Duragesic patch recall by PriCara within 12 months. The patches were last recalled on Feb. 12, 2008, because of similar problems with tears in the drug's reservoir. Another recall in 2004 led to at least three successful lawsuits filed by people whose loved ones died because of a Duragesic patch overdose. The FDA has not taken the drug off the market in the United States, but its Canadian equivalent, Health Canada, issued a warning Jan. 7 that patients may need to change their dosage of fentanyl to avoid an overdose.

Because I am a defective prescription drug lawsuit attorney, I know that overdoses are not uncommon with transdermal patches. In my pharmaceutical liability practice, I represent clients who have lost a loved one or had serious medical problems because of defective Ortho Evra patches. Ortho Evra is a form of birth control similar to the Pill, but it delivers about 60% more estrogen than pills, sharply increasing the number of women who developed dangerous blood clots as side effects. Johnson & Johnson has paid at least $68 million to settle Ortho Evra lawsuits, but the patch is still on the market.

A similar delivery malfunction with a potent opiate like fentanyl could easily kill hundreds of people who use Duragesic and other fentanyl patches regularly to manage chronic pain. If it does, and the manufacturing or design of the patch is to blame, Johnson & Johnson could be held legally responsible for the results -- physical, financial and emotional. If you or someone you love was seriously hurt by a malfunctioning patch or other prescription drug, The Lowe Law Firm can help. We offer free, confidential case evaluations to potential clients. If you believe you may have a claim and you would like to know more, please contact us today for a free consultation.

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A final report on the deadly contamination of the blood thinner heparin confirms that the problem was caused by a man-made chemical that was added to batches of the drug imported from China, The Washington Post recently reported.

The crisis, which began in November 2007, resulted in 152 adverse reactions and as many as 81 deaths in the United States. The Chinese heparin, contaminated with the chemical oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS), was found in at least 10 countries, according to federal officials.

Published in the December 18, 2008 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the report "describes the adverse reactions caused by the contaminant" and links it to a specific substance, Dr. Priti R. Patel, a medical epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explained. The reactions included a drastic drop in blood pressure, nausea and shortness of breath, starting within 30 minutes after the administration of the heparin.

"There is a definite link between this contaminant and the patients who had these reactions," Dr. Patel said.

Continue reading " Heparin from China found to be contaminated with man-made chemical--defective drug attorney. " »

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers not to use any of 69 defective over-the-counter diet drugs, USA Today reported Jan. 7. The drugs covered by the warning have several active ingredients that are not listed on the labels, despite the fact that many are marketed as "natural" or "herbal" dietary supplements. The active ingredients include rimonabant, which failed to win FDA approval, and has been withdrawn from the market in Europe after authorities there linked it to five deaths and 720 adverse reactions. A full list of the affected drugs is available in the FDA's press release; consumers who have taken the drugs are urged to speak to doctors immediately.

Other unlisted but potentially dangerous active ingredients in the drugs include phenytoin, an anti-seizure medication; phenolphthalein, a suspected carcinogen; and sibutramine, a controlled substance related to the defective diet drug Fen-Phen. Sibutramine is approved for sale in the United States as Meridia, but has a wide variety of serious side effects, including high blood pressure, seizures, partial paralysis, breathing problems, serotonin toxicity and suicidal thoughts. Because of those side effects and potential drug interactions, it is not prescribed for people taking certain antidepressants and migraine medications, as well as those with heart and blood pressure problems, seizures, hyperthyroidism or certain psychiatric disorders.

By selling sibutramine, rimonabant and other potentially dangerous drugs without disclosing their ingredients, the manufacturers of these diet pills bypass the safeguards in our prescription drug system. This puts the drugs' users at risk of death or disabling chronic medical conditions -- when they thought they were taking harmless dietary supplements. The drug makers, most of which are located in China, may face criminal charges after an investigation. But for victims, criminal charges almost always come too late, after they've lost a loved one or suffered grave complications due to the defects in these "natural" supplements.

Treating a serious medical emergency can cost tens of thousands of dollars; a permanent chronic illness or disability can run into six or seven figures over a lifetime, not counting lost income for those who can no longer work. And these figures don't take into account the devastating personal losses suffered by victims and their families. To recover those costs and hold pharmaceutical companies responsible for their actions, many victims choose to bring defective drug lawsuits. The Lowe Law Firm has substantial experience with these dangerous medication claims. Based in St. Louis, we represent clients in Missouri, southern Illinois and throughout the United States. For a free consultation about your own claim, you can contact us online or call toll-free 1-877-678-3400.

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Levaquin, Cipro and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics continue to be over prescribed despite the risks of suffering the disabling side effects of tendinitis and tendon rupture.

This family of drugs includes Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Proquin (ciprofloxacin hydrochloride), Factive (gemifloxacin), Levaquin (levofloxacin), Avelox (moxifloxacin), Noroxin (norfloxacin) and Floxin (ofloxacin).

According to a recent article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, U.S. patients received more than 40 million prescriptions for fluoroquinolone antibiotics in 2007. Fluoroquinolones are associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture. This risk is further increased in those over age 60, in kidney, heart, and lung transplant recipients, and in patients given these antibiotics in conjunction with steroid therapy.

Some studies have concluded that the powerful drugs are often prescribed even when no antibiotic is needed or a safer antibiotic is more appropriate.

A study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania found that out of 100 patients prescribed fluoroquinolones, 81 received it for inappropriate conditions.

Last summer, the Food and Drug Administration told drug makers to add a black-box warning to fluoroquinolone antibiotics that come in pill and injectable form. Pharmacists are also required to provide an FDA-approved guide to patients who pick up prescriptions for this class of antibiotics.

The push to finally get out information is long overdue. Even some doctors don’t know about the dangers.

Dr. J.T. Cooper of Marietta, Georgia told the AJC that he didn’t know about the potential side effects when he began taking Levaquin for pneumonia. He suffered a near rupture of his Achilles tendon last September. Cooper was hospitalized for six days and lost two weeks of work. He has spent several weeks in a boot brace and won’t be able to resume driving until the end of the month.

Adverse reactions to prescription drugs cause more injuries and deaths in the United States than illegal drugs. If you have suffered medical complications from a prescription medicine or over-the-counter drug, an attorney with experience can advise you on your right to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.

For more information, fill out our online contact form or call 314-678-3400 or toll free 877-678-3400.

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