A Dangerous Drug? Or Just A Stupid Warning?
One of the funniest blogs around is Legal Juice and this recent post is a classic on the drug Xyzal. You have to read this for yourself. I don't know what to say.
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April 12, 2008
March 18, 2008
Diabetes Drug Avandia May Be Linked to Heart Attacks
Alabama residents and consumers should be aware of the recent studies linking Avandia to heart attacks. Republican Senator Charles Grassley stated last year on the senate floor that Avandia may be linked to more than 100,000 heart attacks. There are several articles out discussing this issue including, "Diabetes Drug Avandia: Heart Risk?" on the MediceNet.com website and a Foxnews.com story, "Study: Avandia Raises Risk of Heart Attack."
Avandia is a drug developed by GlaxoSmithKline and used to treat Type 2 diabetes. The drug was approved in 1999 by the FDA to help reduce blood-sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. However, shortly after its release, one researcher, Bruce M. Psaty, MD, PhD criticized the drug noting that there was little evidence to support use of the drug.
While GlaxoSmithKline strongly denies the report and says that further study needs to be done, the short term study performed by Dr. Steven Nissen and Kathy Wolski, MPH, indicated "that Avandia increases heart attack risk by 43%-- and increases risk of death from heart disease by 64%."
If you have taken this drug and suffered a heart attack or any other cardiovascular problems, there may be a link. You should contact an attorney to evaluate your claim.
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March 1, 2008
Blood Thinner Heparin Linked To Numerous Deaths
On the heels of the story about the drug Traysol, here is another story about a drug - this time the very well known and used blood thinner Heparin. According to this story by cbsnews.com, the FDA is investigating the drug and its connections to potentially contaminated ingredients from China.
The introduction to this short, but excellent news article is as follows:
Every day thousands of Americans rely on the blood thinner Heparin to survive.Now that drug is under suspicion for 21 deaths and hundreds of allergic reactions. Baxter International, a major manufacturer of the drug, has stopped selling almost all forms of Heparin.
CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay reports that officials say they have not yet identified the cause, but are looking to China where nearly half of Heparin's raw ingredients come from
Read the rest of this story here and stay tuned for more developments on this troubling issue.
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March 1, 2008
The Danger of the Drug Trasylol - Linked To Many Deaths
Brian Beckcom from the excellent Houston Injury & Accident Law blog recently posted an article about how the drug Traysylol has been linked to a staggering number of deaths. As many as 1000 per month. You can read the story from 60 Minutes here at cbsnews.com but here is the chilling introduction:
This is the story of a drug that was on the market for 14 years and may have contributed to the deaths of thousands of patients. Trasylol, made by Bayer, is given in the operating room to control bleeding. It was a big money maker.As correspondent Scott Pelley reports, Bayer marketed Trasylol aggressively until it was used in about one third of all cardiac bypass operations in America.
But then, in 2006, a study showed widespread death associated with Trasylol, and as it turns out there was concern long before that.
How much did Bayer know? And why did it take Bayer and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nearly two years to take the drug off the market after major studies revealed the danger? Two years - during which it's estimated Trasylol was contributing to the loss of one thousand lives a month.
Please read the rest of this story and if you have been injured or had a loved one die as a result of using Trasylol please contact an attorney who is experienced in dealing with dangerous drugs - our firm and all others that we know about do not charge to discuss your options with you.
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February 24, 2008
Alabama Jury Returns Verdict Against a Drug Company
Congratulations to the Beasley Allen firm for its verdict on Thursday, February 22 against AstraZeneca PLC. This was a difficult and hard fought case that is far from over.
The Beasley firm represented the State of Alabama claiming that the drug company had over-charged the State's medicaid system for drugs. Through the trial process, they discovered that the drug company had been charging medicaid one fee and then selling the drugs to wholesalers for much less money.
After hearing all of the evidence, the jury returned a verdict against AstraZeneca PLC for a total of $215 million, $40 million in compensatory damages and $175 million in punitive damage. The drug company vehemently denies any wrongdoing and plans on appealing.
To read more about read the story at several different cites including, here, here or here.
This was an important win for the State and several other states, as there is another trial scheduled in April under the same theory, but against another drug manufacturer. Additionally, other states are looking at bringing similar type suits. We wish them luck.
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