Dangerous Drugs
Defective Drugs In The News: High-profile Drug Recalls
Sometimes enough people file drug lawsuits against defective drug that
the volume and severity of complaints finally receives public
attention. The media begins focusing on the defective drug lawsuit.
Then the real stories come out and the pharmaceutical company at fault
is held responsible. Here are some of the more recent high-profile
defective drug recalls and lawsuits in the United States.
Vioxx®
Manufactured by Merck and Company, Vioxx® was approved by the FDA in
1999 to relieve the pain and inflammation associated with
osteoarthritis or acute adult pain. The drug works by targeting and
blocking COX-2 enzymes in the body. However, there was a high incidence
of heart attacks, stroke, heart failure, blood clots, and other serious
side effects in patients treated with Vioxx®. In August of 2004, Merck
released a report alleging the cardiovascular safety of the drug. It
was later determined this report was based on a prematurely terminated
clinical study, and that the company may have had prior knowledge of
the link between the drug and cardiovascular problems. Vioxx® was
recalled on September 30, 2004. The FDA has estimated that Vioxx® may
be responsible for as many as 27,000 heart attacks and cardiac deaths
between 1999 and 2003. Merck has put $4.85 billion dollars for payment
to any qualifying settlements.
Fen-Phen
“Dying” to get thin? If you thought the miracle diet drug Fen-Phen was
too good to be true, you were right. After thousands of patients who
took Fen-Phen began reporting serious injuries such as heart valve
defects, heart attacks, and chest pains, the FDA ordered the drug
manufacturer, Wyeth (formerly American Home Products), to recall their
drug. It is estimated that as of 2005, there have been 50,000 liability
lawsuits filed by Fen-Phen victims. American Home Products announced it
was setting aside $21.1 billion dollars towards settlements. The
Fen-Phen lawsuit settlements were considered the largest products
liability settlement of all time.
Accutane®
Developed by Hoffmann-La Roche, Accutane® is a medication prescribed
for the treatment of acne. It was considered a breakthrough product
when first developed in the 1980’s and has been widely prescribed;
thus, it was surprising when the drug was linked to terrible side
effects, including severe birth defects, miscarriages, Crohn’s disease,
and psychiatric disorders. Today, the drug has also been associated
with an increased occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease, irritable
bowel syndrome, diabetes, depression, suicide, hepatitis, lupus, and
kidney/liver damage. On November 20, 2008, a jury ruled that the drug
manufacturer must pay $12.9 million towards settlements for people who
filed lawsuits blaming the defective drug for causing irritable bowel
syndrome.
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Defective drug attorneys can provide legal assistance for cases involving dangerous drugs such as Vioxx® and Ortho-Evra®. If you have been harmed as a result of a dangerous drug, contact a lawyer directly for advice concerning your case.
Some additional information on dangerous drugs in the news:
Accutane Lawsuit
Actos Lawsuit
Avandia Lawsuit
Byetta Lawsuit
Chantix Lawsuit
Cipro Lawsuit
Digitek Lawsuit
Fentanyl Patch Lawsuit
Fleet Phospho Soda Lawsuit
Fosamax Lawsuit
Gadolinium Lawsuit
Gardasil Lawsuit
Heparin Lawsuit
Hydroxycut Lawsuit
Klonopin Lawsuit
Levaquin Lawsuit
Paxil Lawsuit
Provigil Lawsuit
Raptiva Lawsuit
Reglan Lawsuit
Seroquel Lawsuit
Tegretol Lawsuit
Trasylol Lawsuit
Xenical Lawsuit
YAZ Birth Control Lawsuit
Zicam Lawsuit
