Each year thousands of children and adults are injured and/or killed by defective drugs in the United States. We often take it for granted and assume that these products and medications are safe for use by ourselves and our loved ones.
However, many drugs (whether it is prescription or over-the-counter) can have serious adverse side effects. Side effects can range from a headache or upset stomach to more serious injuries such as liver or kidney failure, heart problems, or even death. Many injuries are caused by pharmacies improperly filling prescriptions or defective drugs and medical equipment.
Defective drug cases can be complex, lengthy and costly to take to trial. That is why you need a defective drug lawyer with the tools, experience, resources, and capability to take on large corporations, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance companies. Making the right decision on your legal representation today could have a major impact on the outcome of your case and your future.
Mass Tort defective drug cases are defined as cases where a company makes or sells a product such as a medical device, medication, or other mass-produced items that harm hundreds or thousands of people. For example, pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies have been faced with a large number of suits throughout the years for products that earn them billions of dollars in profit. These companies may know of product defects beforehand and their potential to cause harm to individuals through usage yet these corporations often choose not to take appropriate action due to profit or other motives.
Many of these companies could have millions or billions of dollars invested in product development and may simply feel that it is more advantageous for them to send items to market and reap massive profits than to halt their release and avoid doing harm to those who may use the products. Profit is often at the center of these cases, and it is necessary for a firm that takes on such cases to thoroughly litigate and investigate these types of claims.
Pharmaceutical products including Vioxx, Avandia, Fosamax, and anti-depressants such as Topamax, may have severe ramifications that are not disclosed at all or not properly disclosed to those taking them. DePuy ASR hip implants, Zimmer, and NexGen knee replacement systems are a few medical devices currently subject to large-scale mass tort litigation.
Anti-depressants such as Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Zoloft and Effexor are drugs that also are currently being litigated in mass tort cases by thousands of people who have been harmed. These drugs are commonly prescribed for anxiety and depression and classified as SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors).
Over the past five years, scientific information has emerged that links these drugs to numerous birth defects, including heart malformations, brain and spinal cord abnormalities, cleft lip/cleft palate, club foot, persistent pulmonary hypertension and abdominal wall malformation if taken during pregnancy.
We anticipate a warning change regarding the prescription of these medications during pregnancy. People should take note of any unexpected birth defects. In one case, a mother who had two healthy children had taken Prozac for postpartum depression and continued on the drug before discovering her pregnancy. Her child was born with a severe and otherwise unexplained heart malformation.
Pradaxa
Serious side effects of Pradaxa have been reported including:
- Death
- Internal Bleeding
- Cerebral Hemorrhages
- Unusual Bruising, Bleeding or Hemorrhaging
- Bleeding that is Severe or Cannot be Controlled
- Nose Bleeding tat Occurs Regularly
- Vomiting Blood or Vomit that Looks Like Coffee Grounds
- Red or Black Stools
- Menstrual or Vaginal Bleeding that is Heavier than Normal
- Coughing up Blood or Blood Clots
Legal Help for Victims of Pradaxa Bleeding
If you or a loved one has suffered serious bleeding or hemorrhaging while taking Pradaxa, you may have valuable legal rights. To learn how our lawyers can help you file a Lawsuit to recover damages incurred from being a victim of bleeding or hemorrhaging from taking Pradaxa, please fill out our online form or call (877) 444-2929.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy – Risk of Heart Attack & Stroke
“(This campaign is) A mass, uncontrolled experiment that invites men to expose themselves to the harms of a treatment unlikely to fix problems that may be wholly unrelated to testosterone levels.”
-Drs. Lisa M. Schwartz and Steven Woloshin
JAMA Internal Medicine, August 12/26, 2013, Volume 173, No. 15
Over the last decade, the use of prescription testosterone in men has more than tripled in the United States. “Low T”, as it is called in television ads, is big business, with sales of testosterone replacement therapies doubling since 2006 and expected to triple to $5 billion by 2017.
Gels (like Androgel), patches and injections that promise a miracle cure for the basic signs of aging, such as tiredness, increased irritability and reduced sex drive are being marketed to men and their spouses, and are often being prescribed without comprehensive testing.
In a January 2014 report of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a study following 8,700 men who had taken testosterone supplements for three years has concluded that testosterone treatments can cause increased risk of stroke, heart attack and death. Men taking Low T drugs with existing heart problems were 30% more likely to suffer a stroke, heart attack or death compared to healthy individuals who did not take testosterone supplements.
Patients with the following symptoms who are undergoing testosterone therapy could be at greater risk:
- Plaque buildup
- Artery blockage
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Obesity
In 2011, over 5 million testosterone replacement prescriptions were written in the US, according to news reports. These prescriptions are often written without comprehensive testing, provided to men who may not have low testosterone at all, but some other physiological condition (both obesity and Type 2 diabetes are also known causes of testosterone depression).
Testosterone replacement therapy is currently marketed as the following products:
- Androgel
- Androderm
- Axirom
- Bio-T-Gel
- Delatestryl
- Depo-Testosterone
- Fortesta
- Striant
- Testim
- Testopel
If you or a loved one is currently receiving treatments for low testosterone (Low T) or is undergoing testosterone therapy, please discuss the increased risk of heart problems with your healthcare provider before you discontinue use.
Christopher Ligori & Associates Law Firm is concerned about the recent findings of the risks associated with testosterone treatment, and is currently investigating legal claims of men who have suffered a stroke, heart attack or even death while receiving Low T treatments or testosterone therapy. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of receiving testosterone replacement, please call our offices at (877) 444-2929 or fill out our online case analysis form.
The following articles provide more insight on the dangers of Low T therapy. If you are considering testosterone replacement therapy litigation or an AndroGel lawsuit, you can learn more about the risks and dangers in these reports.
Increased Risk of Non-Fatal Myocardial Infarction Following Testosterone Therapy Prescription in Men
Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella
Two new studies have been published recently which favor cases against the manufacturers of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, unique birth control pills which contain the progestin Drospirenone. The first study examined the incidence of gall bladder disease risks, and Canadian researchers found that the patients using oral birth controls containing Drospirenone as much as 20% more likely to develop gall bladder disease than patients who were taking older, safer birth control products. Unfortunately, the authors recommended that the increase was not clinically significant.
To learn how our lawyers can help you file a Lawsuit to recover damages incurred from being a victim of gall bladder disease from taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella, please fill out our online form or call (877) 444-2929.
Depuy ASR Hip Replacements
Investigative efforts have been successful in identifying an in-state defendant for DePuy ASR Implant cases. Though this type of litigation is relatively new for mass tort claims, Johnson & Johnson/DePuy’s metal-on-metal implant products, previously recalled due to premature failure of the implants, as well as cobalt and chromium systemic poisoning known as metallosis, are serious injuries which can result in massive consequences.
To learn how our lawyers can help you file a lawsuit to recover damages incurred from being a victim of metallosis from a DePuy ASR Implant, please fill out our online form or call (877) 444-2929.
Transvaginal Mesh/Pelvic Mesh Implant
Click here to read a recent verdict for transvaginal mesh implant victim.
Metal-On-Metal Hip Implants
In addition to the DePuy ASR recall and resulting litigation, we have received a number of calls and referrals for other types of knee and hip implants that are failing and that are requiring explant/revision. These would include metal-on-metal hip implants manufactured by DePuy, Right Medical, Stryker, Biomet and Zimmer. For over a year, surgeons have been publicly questioning the utility of metal-on-metal implants. These products, though not yet recalled, are prone to fail prematurely and have the potential to cause Metallosis (or systemic cobalt and chromium poisoning). It is much the same as the already recalled DePuy ASR hip implants. Recently, the FDA directed 20 manufacturers to conduct post-market surveillance to determine if the implant patients were suffering from metal poisoning.
To learn how our lawyers can help you file a Lawsuit to recover damages incurred from being a victim of Metallosis from a metal-on-metal hip implant, please fill out our online form or call (877) 444-2929.
How Can You Make a Report to the Food and Drug Administration?
The FDA recommends that you submit as much detailed information as possible. For products intended for human consumption, like drugs, you should try to provide the following information:
- Name or any other detail about the person affected (including age, sex, and ethnicity). This will help the agency to determine if particular groups are especially affected or at risk. (The FDA is committed to protecting the confidentiality of patients.)
- If you are reporting about a prescription or over-the-counter drug, the name of the drug, manufacturer, and the strength of the drug should be specified.
- Name and address of the store where you bought the product and the date of purchase are also important information.
- You should also document details about the problem, such as symptoms and whether the issue went away after you stopped using the product.
(Similarly, for products for animals, detailed information about the affected animal(s), the product, and the health problem(s) noted is helpful.)
- Include any product codes, numbers, and dates on the packaging and labeling. If needed, this can help the FDA trace the product back to the place of manufacture.
- In addition to reporting to the FDA, consider reporting the problem to the manufacturer and the store where you bought the product.
Call Tampa Defective Drug Lawyers for Help
If you or someone you know has used any of the above mentioned products and suffered any complications or strange results, our defective drug attorneys in Tampa can help.
At Ligori Law, we have the knowledge, skills, and resources required to pursue large complex defective drug litigation matters. Most of all, we have the passion that is necessary to win.
If you believe you have been injured by a dangerous or defective product, we encourage you to contact us at your earliest convenience. Call Ligori Law at 877-444-2929 for a free consultation today.
