Defective Drugs

Federal health regulators have said they will add labeling to contraceptive pills containing the synthetic hormone drospirenone, such as Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, indicating the risk of blood clots. According to an Associated Press news report, the labeling will apply to Bayer’s Yaz, its predecessor Yasmin, and other drospirenone-containing drugs. The synthetic hormone, which is found in newer generation contraceptive pills, mimics the naturally occurring female hormone progesterone. The decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comes in the wake of several recent research studies showing an elevated risk of blood clots for users of birth control pills with drospirenone. Women taking these pills have reported blood clots in their legs. These clots can become fatal if they travel to the heart, lungs or brain.

If you are a woman taking these drugs, you can take precautionary steps to prevent these dangerous side effects. First, talk to your doctor and see if the benefits of taking the drugs outweigh the risks. Also, do address your risk factors. Smoking, obesity, or diabetes could raise your risk of blood clots if you are taking these pills.

Staying active improves blood circulation and reduces the risk of blood clots. Those who have to sit down for long periods of time for work would be well advised to move around often. Avoid the pill immediately after childbirth. It is important to understand the symptoms of blood clots. These include: shortness of breath, sharp chest pain, coughing up blood, dizziness, back pain, and wheezing.

If you or a loved one has suffered adverse health effects, such as blood clots, as a result of using Yaz, Yasmin, or other contraceptive pills containing drospirenone, an experienced Oklahoma defective drug attorney at the Maples Law Firm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us at (888) 226-6159 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

A jury in Minnesota awarded $1.1 million in punitive damages to an 82-year-old man whose Achilles tendon ruptured after taking the prescription drug Levaquin, reports Bloomberg. The article states that Johnson & Johnson, as well as its pharmaceutical unit Ortho-McNeil-Janssen, did not adequately warn doctors or patients of the risks of taking Levaquin, which includes the possibility of tendon rupture. This case was the first of about 2,600 filed against the company. The jury found that Johnson & Johnson acted in blatant disregard for the people who would be using their drug. The plaintiff’s attorney stated, “We’re thrilled with the outcome and feel the jury followed the evidence and came to the right decision… they sent a clear message: Pharmaceutical companies should put their patients ahead of their profits.”

Levaquin is part of a family of pharmaceutical antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. The 82-year-old plaintiff was also prescribed steroids in addition to Levaquin when he was suffering from a respiratory infection back in 2005. Because Johnson & Johnson did not adequately warn consumers about the risks of taking the drug, which includes a possible adverse affect when combined with steroids, the man’s doctor prescribed the two medications together. Prior to the injury that the man sustained because of using Levaquin, he was very active for his age. However, since his drug-related injury, his activities have been extremely limited.

Pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to manufacture safe drugs with minimum risk of harm. If you or a loved one has taken Levaquin or any other drug and suffered a serious injury because of it, contact Ray Maples, dedicated Oklahoma City dangerous drug injury attorney and founder of The Maples Law Firm. With extensive experience in pharmaceutical litigation, Mr. Maples can help you understand your rights and will fight to ensure that you are compensated fairly for your injury. Injuries caused by dangerous drugs in Oklahoma are serious and can alter a person’s life forever and can cause unnecessary stress not only physically, but mentally and financially as well. Contact Ray Maples of The Maples Law Firm at 1-888-429-0609 for a free consultation.

Accutane is a medication intended for the treatment of severe acne. It was first introduced in 1982 and has been used by more than 16 million patients worldwide. Citing growing competition from generics and a string of Accutane lawsuits, the makers of the drug pulled it from the U.S. market in 2009. However the medication continues to remain in use in other countries.

Throughout its history, Accutane has been linked with several severe side effects including birth defects and suicide. It has also been linked to inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease, a chronic illness that affects the digestive tract. Crohn’s disease is often characterized by the following symptoms:

• Abdominal discomfort often located in the lower right quadrant
• Bloody stools
• Loss of appetite
• Severe diarrhea
• Ulcers
• Weight loss

In severe cases, patients with Crohn’s disease may also experience the following symptoms:

• Arthritis
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Skin complications
• Stunted growth in children

Patients who develop any of the symptoms listed above should stop taking Accutane immediately and contact their physician.

Accutane and Crohn’s Disease-Related Litigation
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against Roche Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Accutane. Many plaintiffs state they developed severe gastrointestinal disorders after taking the medication and criticize Roche for not issuing sterner warnings about the dangers of the drug.

If you have experienced severe side effects while taking Accutane, you may choose to file a lawsuit to receive compensation for medical expenses and suffering. For more information about Accutane lawsuits, contact the Oklahoma dangerous drug injury lawyers at Maples Law Firm.

The latest development in the series of Accutane lawsuits occurred on February 16, 2010, when a New Jersey court ruled that Roche Pharmaceuticals must pay $25.16 million in damages to a man who claimed he developed debilitating inflammatory bowel disease after taking the medication. This came after an earlier ruling stating the company must pay the man $2.6 million in damages was overturned on appeal. Roche Pharmaceuticals maintains they will also appeal the latest results.

Consumers in Oklahoma and throughout the United States rely on pharmaceutical products to help alleviate illness, medical conditions and other ailments. However, what happens when a prescribed medication or over-the-counter drug causes an individual to suffer severe side effects, endure serious injury, or become afflicted by another health problem altogether?

While the answer to this question may not always be so simple, drug manufacturers are responsible for designing, manufacturing, accurately marketing, and including appropriate warning labels for the pharmaceutical products that they put on the market.

According to a Huffington Post article, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a black box warning against Reglan, or Metoclopramide, and its generic forms for being connected to causing tardive dyskinesia. Reglan use has been named the leading cause of tardive dyskinesia among patients with the disorder in the U.S. This may be attributed to the fact that the drug’s labels originally did not contain accurate warnings against the very serious risk of tardive dyskinesia. As a consequence, multiple lawsuits for the dangerous drug were filed across the country against its manufacturer, Wyeth, as well as against the makers of generic forms of the drug.

It has been determined that patients who take Reglan over a long period of time, and often in high dosages, may develop tardive dyskinesia. This condition involves uncontrolled, recurring tick-like movements mainly in the muscles of the face and less commonly in the toes, fingers, limbs, hips and torso. What makes this condition all the more risky is that a person may develop symptoms long after he or she has used Reglan.

While there is no known cure for tardive dyskinesia and the best treatment is said to be prevention, some drugs may help lower symptoms in addition to lowering the dosage of the medication that has caused the condition.

If you or someone you care about has suffered serious side effects or symptoms of tardive dyskinesia after taking Reglan or a generic form of the drug, the Oklahoma defective drug lawyers at Maples Law Firm will protect your rights. We have the legal knowledge and experience to handle product liability litigation relating to dangerous pharmaceuticals, such as Reglan, and other defective products that have caused innocent consumers harm. Call 1-888-429-0609 today for a free consultation of your case.