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 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?

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.

At the time of FDA approval for Invokana (canagliflozin) in 2013, the benefits versus risks of the prescription medication to treat diabetes had already become highly questionable. Within the first two years of availability in the United States, serious concerns over the drug turned to reality when clinical studies showed users were experiencing reduced bone density in their hips and lower spine.

Invokana is a glifozin class drug that is prescribed by family doctors to treat Type II diabetes. Developed and manufactured by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, the prescription medication is marketed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. The oral diabetes prescription medication has shown to be highly effective in controlling blood sugar levels by assisting the kidneys in ridding the body of glucose in the bloodstream. The drug marketers claim that with exercise and diet, Invokana can be highly effective at treating and controlling diabetes.

Even before the prescription medication had become available in the United States, the pharmaceutical manufacturer and marketers had already become aware that the drug posed serious problems, even during short-term use. Before its approval in the U.S., many patients in other countries that already suffered serious kidney damage or become victims of heart attacks and ketoacidosis. In some cases, patients were suffering bone fractures in less than 90 days after first taking the drug. The risk of fractures and bone loss seem to be most prominent in women of post-menopausal age.

Prescription drug marketer Janssen Pharmaceuticals has begun a full press marketing blitz to promote a leading blood thinning medication Xarelto (riboroxaban) by using familiar celebrities. The promotional campaign commercials involve golfer Arnold Palmer, professional racer Brian Vickers, Chris Bosh from the Miami Heat and comedian/actor Kevin Neely. The celebrities have all taken the prescription medication for a variety of conditions that require treatment for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), atrial fibrillation, pulmonary embolism and blood clots.

Xarelto is a leading anti-coagulation (blood thinner) prescription medication manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals. The drug is promoted to reduce the potential risk of blood clots and stroke in individuals suffering from atrial fibrillation that is not associated with heart valve problems. In addition, the FDA has approved Xarelto to treat pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, and help reduce the potential recurrence of these conditions.

The drug has also received approval as a treatment to reduce the potential risk of forming blood clots in the lungs and legs of individuals who have recently undergone hip or knee replacement surgery. Despite its widespread use, the drug has caused many patients to suffer with serious adverse side effects.

In 2011, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved the blood thinner Xarelto (rivaroxaban) for prescription as an effective anticoagulant. The prescription medication is manufactured by Bayer and marketed in the United States by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

Almost immediately, many patients suffered its dangerous side effects including uncontrolled bleeding. While bleeding is not uncommon when taking anticoagulants, many personal injury attorneys, including Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC, allege that Xarelto is significantly more dangerous compared to other blood thinners because it lacks an antidote for reversing many of the effects of blood thinning.

That means during emergent situations, the individual might be at risk for a life-threatening irreversible bleeding issue including gastrointestinal or internal hemorrhaging. As a result, many patients prescribed the drug have filed lawsuits against the manufacturer and marketer on the grounds that they did not receive adequate warning against the dangers of using the blood thinning medication.