Every day we consume millions of pills, supplements, and other medications with the comfort that they are safe to take and that they are doing their job. However, there is an increasing rate of defective medications being prescribed to consumers and released on the market. And if these medications are defective, then they could cause serious injuries or death.
The responsibility of the manufacturers of drugs is to produce a safe product for the consumer to help increase their quality of life. Their obligation is to design, test, manufacture, and distribute their product properly. The manufacturers of these defective products can be held responsible if their defective medication makes it onto the market.
If you or a loved one has experienced personal injuries or death due to a defective drug, please contact personal injury attorney David Payne to discuss your options and legal rights.
Some recent defective drugs include, but are not limited to, the following:
•BEXTRA – This is a popular painkiller, also known as Valdecoxib, and it is used by millions of Americans to relieve symptoms of acute arthritis and painful menstrual cycles. Bextra may double the risk of heart deaths, heart attacks, and strokes.
•CELEBREX - The results of December 2004 study first showed and later studies confirmed the potential for heart attacks, strokes, and even death more than doubled when patients took Celebrex, or Celecoxib.
•CONCERTA – Concerta is a central nervous system stimulant that is commonly used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in young children, has recently been called into question after the FDA released data showing a link between ADHD medicatio use and a risk of sudden death.
•CRESTOR - Crestor, or Rosuvastatin, is a popular cholesterol-lowering drug. The drug poses a greater risk of renal (kidney) failure and serious adverse muscle effects. Patients taking Crestor have suffered from liver damage, kidney damage, and other organ failure. Some cases have even led to death.
•ELIDEL - Elidel was initially approved by the FDA in 2000 for use in adults and children two years of age and older. However, the FDA recently requested a label change for Elidel following a public health advisory warning of the potential risk for cancer.
•EPOGEN – Epogen, also known as epoetin alfa, is an anti-anemia drug used in treatment of patients who have had kidney failure or transplants. Epogen has been linked to deadly side effects in cancer and other patients that include heart failure, stroke, and even death.
•FOSAMAX – Fosamax is a drug that is used to increase bone density, reduce bone fractures, and prevent and/or treat osteoporosis. Fosamax, which is manufactured by Merck & Company, has recently been linked to cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw. This rare condition involves the loss, breakdown, or deterioration of the jaw bone, commonly leading to serious infection and fractures that require long-term care to correct. This condition is irreversible.
•HRT - PremPro and other hormone replacement therapies (HRT) increase incidents of breast cancer, heart attacks, and strokes.
•METHAZOLAMIDE - Methazolamide is a sulfa-based drug, manufactured by Wyeth-Ayerst, that is used to treat Glaucoma and various kinds of tremors. There have been numerous reports of people developing the rare skin disorder, Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), after taking Methazolamide.
•ORTHO EVRA - Since the FDA's approval of the Ortho Evra birth control patch in April 2002, nearly 4 million American women have started using the alternative contraceptive. However, to date, there have been over 9,000 reports of adverse events following the use of the patch, including nearly 20 confirmed reports of death caused by blood clots, pulmonary embolisms, heart attacks, and strokes.
•PAXIL – Paxil, also known as Paroxetine HCL, is a drug commonly used for the treatment of depression, panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, and social anxiety disorders. Paxil has been shown to increase the pulmonary birth defects in children of mothers taking Paxil during pregnancy. Paxil, despite the lack of FDA studies or approval for use in minors, was the second most prescribed antidepressant in the United States prior to a number of teenage suicides linked to the drug.
•PERMAX – Permax, or Pergolide, was recalled from the market in March 2007 after being prescribed to patients for nearly 20 years. Permax, a Parkinson’s disease treatment, causes heart valve damage in patients who are taking the drug.
•PROTOPIC - Protopic was originally approved by the FDA in 2000 for use by adults and children ages two years and older. However, the FDA recently requested a label change for Protopic following a public health advisory to healthcare professionals warning of the potential risk of cancer.
•RITALIN – Ritalin, methylphenidate hydrochloride, is a common medication used by millions of American children and adults to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The safety of the drug has been called into serious question after the FDA released a report detailing 25 deaths and 54 serious cardiovascular problems as a result of methylphenidate use.
•SEROQUEL - Seroquel, an antipsychotic drug, includes many life-altering side effects including the movement disorder, neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), and an increase in suicidal tendencies. Seroquel can cause death from heart failure or infection in elderly people suffering from dementia.
•TRASYLOL - Trasylol is used to prevent too much blood loss during heart surgery. A recent national study has found that the drug may be linked to serious complications involving kidney failure and heart problems. The study found that Trasylol increases the risk of heart failure and heart attack by nearly 55%.
•ZELNORM – Zelnorm, also known as tegaserod maleate, is prescribed for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and constipation. Zelnorm was recalled earlier this year after FDA regulators found an increase in strokes and heart attacks associated with this drug.
•ZICAM - Zicam is a popular over-the-counter homeopathic drug that is supposed to reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold. The use of Zicam is now being linked to anosmia, which is a condition in which there is a total loss or impairment of the sense of smell and/or taste.
Why are so many of these dangerous prescription medications being prescribed at such an increasing rate? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are responsible for testing and approving these prescription drugs and they are beginning to come under increasing pressure in the past thirty years from drug-makers who want faster approvals for their drugs and a less stringent testing process.
The FDA has admitted that not all of a drug’s adverse reactions are documented by the time the drug hits the market. Also, the safety profiles for new drugs are never fully distinct because new drugs are studied in such a small and homogeneous patient populations. The final safety profile is figured after the drug is already being used by the public.
There is also the case of corporations putting their profits over the good of the people. The pharmaceutical industry is a huge, multi-billion dollar business with intense competition to constantly bringing news drugs to the market. Some companies have gone so far as to purposefully hide evidence from the FDA in order to get their drug approved.
This is completely unacceptable! The attorneys and staff at David Payne Law continually look to protect our clients from potentially harmful drugs and preserve their rights.
Contact David Payne anytime at 417.847.7516 for a free and confidential phone consultation.
