Posted on December 02, 2014 in Acetaminophen

A breakthrough in the medical community came for migraine sufferers this November, according to MedicalXPress.com. A study from Case Western Reserve School of Medicine found that nerves in the brains of patients who suffered migraines show abnormalities of the “myelin sheath that serves as insulation around nerve fibers,” MedicalXPress.com reports. The study involved observing 15 patients who underwent a surgical treatment that attempted to reduce the negative effects of serious migraines, and included electron microscopy that assessed the structure of cell nerves in patient's brains. The study also examined the presence and function of cranial proteins in migraine patients.

Ultimately, the study found that patients whose myelin sheath was damaged were more likely to suffer migraines. As a result, one doctor in the study “developed migraine surgery techniques after noticing that some migraine patients had reduced headache activity after cosmetic forehead-lifting.” This type of cosmetic surgery removes some of the muscle and vessel tissue surrounding cranial nerves.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on November 28, 2014 in Defective Prescription Drugs

Pradaxa is a blood thinner, which was approved by the FDA in 2010, and prescribed to prevent blood clots in patients not suffering from a heart rhythm abnormality. Over a period of 11 months, an estimated 1.1 million prescriptions were written for the medication.

Since then, the FDA has issued multiple safety warnings about the potential of serious risks the use of Pradaxa carries for patients. Post-marketing reports have pointed to serious bleeding, some of which may lead to fatalities, occurring in patients taking the blood thinner.

The New York Times reported in 2012 that unlike warfarin, an older blood thinner, there is not an antidote to reverse the blood-thinning effects of Pradaxa and over 500 deaths had been linked to the drug. In the same month, the FDA issued an additional safety announcement stating that Pradaxa should not be used to prevent stroke or blood clot in patients with mechanical heart valves.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on November 26, 2014 in Defective Prescription Drugs

A number of studies have linked certain SSRIs to birth defects when taken during pregnancy. Celexa is a SSRI typically prescribed as an antidepressant, but has been shown to carry risks when taken by women who are pregnant.

The FDA issued drug safety information alerting women of the risk Celexa poses when taken during pregnancy. Its warning was based on analysis of a published study identifying babies born to mothers taking SSRIs like Celexa as six times more likely to suffer from persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) following the 20th week of pregnancy.

PPHN occurs when blood does not flow by the lungs in newborn babies. Symptoms of the condition include:

• rapid heart rate;
• blue tint to the skin; and
• rapid breathing or difficulty in breathing.

Five years after the FDA warning, the U.S. National Library of Medicine published a study linking prenatal exposure to Celexa to neural tube defects. Two of the most common neural tube defects, which can develop in the first month of pregnancy, are spina bifida and anencephaly. These types of birth defects can lead to paralysis or death shortly after birth, respectively. The study also found fetal alcohol disorders were 10 times more common in babies exposed to SSRIs during pregnancy than those who were not.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on November 19, 2014 in Defective Prescription Drugs

Many risks of anti-depressants are relatively well-known and publicized. One of the most common side effects of anti-depressants occurs when expectant mothers take them. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor antidepressants (SSRIs) have a very high risk of resulting in birth defects in a newborn, reports the National Library of Medicine, part of the National Institute for Health (NIH).

By some estimates, between 20 and 30 percent of newborns who are “exposed to SSRIs towards the end of gestation have disorders such as agitation, abnormal muscle tone and suction, seizures and hypornatraemia.” This research was first made public in late 2005, according to NIH, and immediately pregnant women who were taking SSRIs were advised to seek alternative therapies and, in some cases, even encouraged to reevaluate the diagnosis.

And yet birth defects, while perhaps the best-known side effects of SSRIs, may not be the most severe or serious. According to a publication from the Harvard Medical School, SSRIs can also result in serious physical symptoms ranging from insomnia to stomach issues, skin rashes, and joint or muscle pain. The risk of internal bleeding is approximately the same as it is with NSAIDs, found in common medications such as aspirin and naproxen.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on November 14, 2014 in Arlington Heights Defective Medical Device Attorney

An international group of scientists recently condemned Metal-on-Metal hip replacement implants. A report issued by the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Emerging Newly Identified Health Risks concluded that metal-on-metal (MoM) devices should be “avoided” due to their “high failure rate.” Researchers stated that MoMs should be used only on a case-by-case basis, in light of other, more effective available alternatives. For those patients who had already received these devices, the report recommended ongoing followup visits with the surgeon, especially in the first five years when the devices are most prone to failure.

The 14-member SCENIHR is based in Luxembourg. Ten noted experts from Western and Central Europe contributed to the report.

Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Lawsuits

In the United States, Biomet, DuPuy – which is a division of Johnson and Johnson – and other device manufacturers have all been the subject of defective hip implant litigation in Illinois and elsewhere. Hip replacement surgery is quite common among middle-aged and older adults, as the joint naturally deteriorates.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on November 05, 2014 in Defective Prescription Drugs

In recent years, testosterone therapies to help men with erectile dysfunction or low testosterone levels have become more common than ever. With the advances in such medication, however, come advances in risks that accompany such treatment. According to WebMD.com, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), are not as common as one may think. Part of this could because of the many risks that accompany TRT and the fact that many physicians are not yet familiar with the overall picture of such therapy.

Testosterone gels carry their own set of risks separate from those associated with pill therapy. Pill therapy can have unwanted side effects such as acne, sleep apnea, and breast enlargement, according to WebMD. Yet when a man uses a testosterone cream or gel, it can have unintended side effects for his family. “If a woman or child comes into contact with testosterone gels, it can cause side effects in them, including hair growth and premature puberty,” according to WebMD. Most doctors say that this transference is rare, but men using testosterone gel should take care to wash their hands thoroughly after use to mitigate the possibility of such unwanted side effects.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on October 22, 2014 in Defective Prescription Drugs

Defective drug manufacturers that have not properly tested products or have been found to market illegally with misleading statements are facing the consequences of lawsuits. When someone is the victim of taking a defective drug, they can suffer medical, emotional, and financial hardships as a result.

The FDA issued a press release last year that said the manufacturer of Risperdal, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, was fined $2.2 billion for the illegal promotion of its drug to males under the age of 18. Risperdal marketing material highlighted symptoms the drug can be used for while minimizing warnings about its safety. The FDA stood firm by its commitment to prevent and fight all forms of health care fraud and hold responsible parties accountable.

Risperdal is labeled as an antipsychotic medication, but has been linked to gynecomastia, an enlargement of male breast tissue and increased levels of prolactin, a hormone that can stimulate milk production. In an article from the Wall Street Journal, a Duke psychiatrist reported that for 70 percent of the cases he analyzed, Risperdal had the strongest connection to gynecomastia in minors among any of the newer antipsychotic drugs.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on October 15, 2014 in Defective Prescription Drugs

Cymbalta is a multi-use prescription drug most commonly used as an anti-depressant. Despite several clinical trials during the approval process of Cymbalta that alleged Cymbalta caused depression in otherwise healthy patients, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not recall the drug for use as an anti-depressant, according to the New York Times. Most tellingly, the suicide of 19-year-old drug tester Traci Johnson, who had no other symptoms of depression, brought the issues with Cymbalta to wider attention. Four years after this negative publicity, in 2008, Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Cymbalta, sought to have the drug approved for treatment for chronic pain, especially in patients suffering from Fibromyalgia. The drug was not approved for such use in 2008. It would eventually be approved for such treatment in 2010, according to another article in the New York Times.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on October 11, 2014 in Defective Prescription Drugs

Sometimes prominent drugs are recalled and no one knows about it. This was the case with a 2010 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recall of the birth control Yaz, a contraceptive approved by the FDA for use among women as young as 14 years old. Yaz and Beyaz—a similar FDA-approved medication made by the same manufacturer, Berlex, Inc.—hit the market when it was approved in 2006, according to Drugs.com. Beyaz is primarily used to treat acne, while Yaz is marketed as the contraceptive. The only warnings on the Yaz website for either drug alert women who smoke and women over the age of 35 to increased risks of blood clot or stroke when taking the drug.

The trouble for the popular contraceptive came in 2010, when lawsuits started to pop up across the country alleging that women who were on the medication experienced a much higher rate of blood clots than the manufacturer had described. Bayer, the parent company for Yaz, was sued in 1,100 lawsuits that year, according to CBSNews.com. When Bayer began to face these lawsuits, Yaz was its best-selling product, according to CBS. As a result, one may think that a recall of the product would have been widely publicized. Not so.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on October 09, 2014 in Defective Prescription Drugs

Xarelto is a blood thinner prescribed to patients at high risk of blood clots or strokes and is widely prescribed by the medical community. It can also be used to treat pulmonary embolism and can be used to reduce the risk of clotting in a person who has just undergone joint replacement surgery. According to the Xarelto website, more than 9 million people worldwide have been prescribed Xarelto for various reasons. The only people not recommended to take the drug, according to the website, are people who have artificial heart valves or abnormal types of bleeding. Yet the drug has come under fire lately after many patients and the loved ones of patients complained that the drug resulted in hemorrhaging in otherwise healthy users of the drug.

According to WebMD.com, hemorrhaging is a common side effect that can accompany the less common side effects of taking Xarelto, which can include, but are not limited to:

Continue Reading ››