Articles Posted in Dangerous Drugs

At the end of 2019, the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) proposed amending the current control measure regulations involving Ethylene Oxide (ETO) emission standards for commercial sterilization facilities.

The hazardous chemicals amendment would help reduce the cancer-causing ETO toxic chemical emissions and other toxic substances at facilities emitting higher concentrations.

The increased risk can result in adverse health effects due to short and long-term human exposure to the harmful chemical at or nearby commercial sterilization facilities.

The Zantac lawsuits that are in federal court are now part of multi-district litigation against Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim. This case is in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The case has been assigned to Judge Robin Rosenberg. As of the current writing, there are 291 cases that are a part of the multi-district litigation.

We anticipate that this number will rise sharply in the future given the sheer number of people who have taken Zantac over the years. Even if only a small proportion of patients were affected by the alleged defect in the product, this could still mean thousands of lawsuits.

Recall of Ranitidine Products for High Levels of NDMA

According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), Ethylene Oxide (ETO) is a human-made, highly toxic, colorless, flammable gas that, at room temperature, produces a sweet odor.

Ethylene Oxide gases are hazardous substances utilized in the production of ethylene glycol used in numerous products, including pharmaceuticals, polyurethane foam, adhesives, detergents, textiles, anti-freeze, and solvents.

Even minimal exposure to highly toxic Ethylene Oxide gas can create an increased risk of adverse health effects, including blurred vision, difficulty with breathing, breast cancer, and nervous system conditions.

In late 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced recalls of multiple drugs believed to be contaminated with a carcinogenic substance called NDMA. Those recalls affected both prescription and over-the-counter versions of the heartburn and ulcer medication ranitidine, known by the name brand Zantac but also sold as a prescription and over-the-counter generic. The FDA had earlier recalled several types of blood pressure medications—losartan, valsartan, and irbesartan—because of contamination with NDMA. It believes there has been NDMA contamination in those drugs for up to four years.

In late 2019, a few patients who were injured by taking NDMA-contaminated drugs had filed lawsuits against the drugs’ manufacturers. More of these NDMA contamination lawsuits are likely as time goes on. Our law firm is currently investigating Valsartan cancer lawsuits involving the stomach, liver, and colon. We are also working on Zantac cancer lawsuits involving the liver, GI tract, colon, and stomach.

What Is NDMA?

Patients who were taking drugs containing the substance Valsartan to treat high blood pressure were surprised to find out that there was a voluntary recall of some medications due to the presence of a carcinogen. As time has gone on, the problem has only gotten worse as more medications have been found to contain the substance.

There are a number of lawsuits against the makers of these drugs, both brought on behalf of all purchasers as well as on behalf of patients who have suffered their own injury from taking the drugs. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can help anyone who has taken Valsartan and suffered a cancer-related injury file a complaint that could help them receive compensation. Our firm is similarly reviewing Zantac cancer lawsuits involving similar NDMA contamination.

Valsartan is not a drug unto itself, but rather is an ingredient that is found in a class of drugs. This class of drugs is meant to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. Valsartan is an Angiotensin II receptor blocker. The total size of the market is valued at roughly $1.5 billion. There are many different types of drugs that contain the ingredient Valsartan, and these medications are manufactured in different places.

In February 2019, the FDA included a box warning for the gout medicine Uloric. This warning addressed the fact that those taking the drug may be at a greater risk for heart-related and other types of deaths. Recently, attorneys have begun to file suits on behalf of those who have been injured by Uloric and their families. Currently, there are more cases that are in the investigatory phase and will likely be filed soon. Anyone who has suffered harm from Uloric or have had a loved one die while taking the medication should contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers to discuss their legal options.

Uloric was approved by the FDA for use to treat gout in 2009. Gout is caused by high uric acid levels in the blood, and Uloric is intended to lower those levels. Gout develops in part because the body is taking substances called purines that are found in food and drink and turns them into uric acid. Uloric is supposed to stop that process. Uloric is manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals. The global market for the drug is estimated at just under $1 billion and continues to grow at an 11 percent annual rate.

When the FDA initially approved Uloric, it included a Warning and Precaution addressing the possibility of a cardiovascular event associated with use of the drug. However, at the time that the FDA approves a drug, there sometimes is only limited testing performed with some testing still to be done as the FDA requires. Here, the FDA directed Takeda to perform further studies about the possibility of cardiovascular deaths and events. The test results did indicate that there was a possibility of non-fatal and fatal heart attacks and stroke associated with the drug. Still, the FDA took no further action at the time.

Beginning on February 14th, 2019, survivors seeking compensation through class action and product liability lawsuits involving Valsartan will now consolidate into a multi-district litigation, known as an MDL. The MDL will take place in the District of New Jersey before the Honorable Robert B. Kugler.

The MDL order will have significant implications on the lawsuits already filed by victims of the harmful Valsartan contaminant, impacting new cases as well as those currently in process. If you are suffering injuries from Valsartan-contaminated medication, here is what you need to know about the new Valsartan litigation.

What Is Valsartan?

Research from Johns Hopkins suggests that medical errors constitute the third most common cause of death in the United States. Prescription errors account for far too many of these deaths, with a few drugs, in particular, responsible for a shocking level of suffering. Several of the most dangerous prescription drugs are highlighted below:

1. Fentanyl

If used properly, opioids can play an important role in pain management. Unfortunately, these drugs carry significant risks, including, most notably, the potential for abuse. Fentanyl, in particular, has seen skyrocketing abuse in recent years. In 2017, the Centers for Disease Control estimated that 29,406 Americans died due to overdoses involving the category of synthetic opioids dominated by fentanyl. While many of these deaths were related to illicitly obtained substances, many others involved prescribed medications.

If you’re like many Americans, your medicine cabinet is full of pill bottles you no longer use — stamped with expiration dates that passed ages ago. Those expiration dates are intended to represent the last date on which manufacturers can guarantee that drugs are both potent and safe.

Interestingly, a groundbreaking Food and Drug Administration study found that some drugs are safe and effective over a decade after their expiration date. That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s prudent to let expired drugs sit around. If accidentally ingested, unwanted pills could prove dangerous or even deadly. This is particularly true for medications that contain controlled substances. Sometimes, a single pill is all it takes to cause damage. Accidental ingestion is far more likely with forgotten medications that are improperly labeled or left in easily accessible locations.

If you have children at home or otherwise suspect that expired pills could be accidentally ingested, it’s best to take action now. Below, we offer instructions for safely disposing of prescription pills.

Johnson & Johnson is currently facing a flurry of lawsuits on multiple drugs, devices and over the counter products, but the mounting Xarelto litigation could prove to top its current legal battles, with the first bellwether trial to be heard in March of this year. The Xarelto uncontrolled bleeding attorneys of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC are watching this case very closely because it could set precedent in many of the cases to follow. If you have been injured by this medication, it is important to know your rights and whether you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering and more.

Over 15,000 Lawsuits Filed to Date

After it was found that Xarelto was marketed under the false pretense that it was a safer and more effective alternative to Warfarin, thousands of victims began to file lawsuits on the grounds that Johnson & Johnson withheld critical information regarding risks to the public and did not take needed steps to provide an antidote in the event that the medication caused serious internal bleeding. Instead, patients were assured that they did not need any regular blood monitoring based on the lie that the drug was less likely to cause bleeding.