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Every year, thousands of people are seriously injured as a result of using prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications they believed to be safe. In some cases, these drugs have even caused death. Unfortunately, recent events have revealed that many drugs on the market today are either insufficiently tested, or contain insufficient warnings to consumers. These are the same drugs that have caused such serious side effects as heart attack, stroke, and liver failure.
At Farah and Farah, our concern is making sure consumers are aware of the dangerous and potentially lethal side effects of pharmaceutical drugs and other medications. To that end, our attorneys stay up-to-date on the latest recalls and medical alerts issued by the FDA. If you are taking a prescription drug and have experienced serious side effects, or if you have heard of a recent recall or warning and would like to learn more, we encourage you to contact Farah and Farah today. You may be able to pursue a lawsuit under product liability or medical malpractice statutes.
The Ortho Evra® birth control patch, produced by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, is designed to provide convenient birth control by delivering the hormones estrogen and progestin to the blood stream through the skin.
Increased estrogen has been linked to an increased risk of blood clots that can cause stroke, heart attack, and pulmonary embolism in women. Ortho Evra® was marketed as a safer alternative to other birth control medication that contains estrogen. Ortho Evra® actually exposes women to about 60 percent more estrogen than birth control pills, although it has not been definitively established that Ortho Evra® poses a greater risk to women than birth control pills.
The Ortho Evra® patch has been prescribed for more than five million women since it was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001. Beginning in late 2005, Ortho-McNeil was required by the FDA to include a warning about the potential dangers associated with Ortho Evra® in its product labeling.
If you or someone you know has suffered a stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or any other blot clot-related medical incident while using the Ortho Evra® birth control patch, contact our pharmaceutical litigation and product liability lawyers today to learn more and to schedule a free case evaluation.
Vioxx® is the subject of significant litigation, with more than 300 plaintiffs' claims that have been consolidated in Los Angeles County Superior Court. There are also 175 cases consolidated in Atlantic County, N.J. Superior Court.
On September 30, 2004, Merck & Co. announced a voluntary worldwide withdrawal of Vioxx®, its arthritis and acute pain medication. This action was prompted by a clinical trial that showed a dramatic increase in patient risk of heart attacks, strokes, or other cardiovascular events. Merck's withdrawal of Vioxx® from shelves worldwide is only expected to increase the number of cases filed.
If you or a loved one has been victim to injuries caused by taking Vioxx®, please contact our pharmaceutical litigation attorneys for more information on your legal rights.
Accutane®, available only by prescription, is the most potent acne drug on the market today and is usually considered a last resort when other treatments fail. Due to its strong formulation many patients experience side effects. Although many of these side effects, such as very dry skin, sun sensitivity, and nausea, are manageable, some patients experience more serious effects.
Accutane® has been shown to cause serious birth defects (including mental retardation and physical deformities), or cause fetal death. Due to these risks, Accutane® is prescribed only to patients who agree with their doctors on a pre-prescription pregnancy prevention plan. In addition, Accutane® has been linked to cases of depression, psychosis, and suicide. These dangers prompted the FDA to revise Accutane® warning labels and add a separate consent form acknowledging the risks prior to allowing patients to begin taking the drug.
Despite these safety precautions, Accutane® has still been linked to many birth defects and suicides. If you or a loved one has been harmed as a result of Accutane® use, contact our product liability lawyers to arrange a consultation.
Visit our Accutane® lawsuits page for more information.
Serzone® is a prescription drug used to treat depression. It has been widely prescribed because of a lower incidence of some troublesome side effects (like sexual problems and insomnia) that are more common among other antidepressants. However, Serzone® has been associated with an increased risk of liver failure, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition.
After repeatedly urging Serzone® manufacturer Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., to provide physicians and patients with stronger warnings, the Food and Drug Administration finally required that a black box warning be added to the Serzone® label. The order came in December 2001 after reports showed a three to four times higher incidence of liver failure among Serzone® patients than among the general public. Patients who experience liver failure may require a transplant and some will not survive the condition.
If you or a loved one has suffered liver damage as the result of taking Serzone®, please contact our attorneys in Florida today.
Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative that was used to prevent vaccines from being contaminated from the 1930s on. It has primarily been used to prevent contamination of the remaining vaccine in multi-dose containers. Recently, the decision was made to stop using thimerosal due to concerns over possible health effects associated with it. Although it is not being used for new vaccines, some formulations that contain thimerosal may still be available.
Mercury is a naturally occurring element that can be harmful to humans when consumed or inhaled in large quantities. Mercury is found in several forms -- metallic, inorganic, and organic. An organic form of mercury known as methylmercury is most dangerous to humans. Thimerosal contains an organic form of mercury known as ethylmercury that converts to an inorganic form once inside the body. The safety of thimerosal is debated.
The similarity of symptoms between mercury poisoning and autism has caused some people to wonder if mercury may be a cause of autism. Some parents of autistic children say that there has been a noticeable correlation between the time their children received thimerosal containing vaccines and the time of their autism diagnosis. Although there is no agreement over the safety of thimerosal, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the U.S. Public Health Service felt sufficient concern to remove thimerosal from future vaccines.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with autism and you believe it may be linked to thimerosal, please contact our office in Jacksonville, Florida today.
An herbal supplement found in many diet and medicinal pills, Ephedra has been linked to a slew of frightening health problems, such as heart attacks, seizures, strokes, and hepatitis-and is believed to be one of the most lethal dietary agents available. It is considered so dangerous, in fact, that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has mandated that all sales of any product containing Ephedra be halted by April 6, 2004. This includes a number of over-the-counter drugs, including epitonin, and all those intended to enhance weight loss and/or athletic performance. Ma Huang, an ancient Chinese medicine that contains Ephedra, has not been banned.
Pulling Ephedra from the shelves does not undo the harm it has already done. If you or a loved one has been injured by this potent drug, it is imperative that you seek legal representation. Please contact our Ephedra lawyers today.
Bextra® is a member of a family of drugs called NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which are also commonly referred to as COX-2 inhibitors. Bextra®, along with other NSAIDs such as Vioxx®, Celebrex®, and Arcoxia®, has been used to treat sufferers of arthritis, inflammation, stiffness, and severe menstrual pain. COX-2 inhibitors were considered beneficial due to their ability to provide strong pain relief and anti-inflammation without the irritation of the stomach lining previously associated with such treatments.
Some recent studies have found that Bextra® can increase the risk of heart attack in patients who have recently undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Additional side effects such as serious, sometimes fatal, skin reactions and toxic epidermal necrosis have also been reported. Due to these concerns, on April 7, 2005, the FDA asked the makers of Bextra® to issue a voluntary recall.
If you or a loved one has experienced any of the symptoms mentioned above such as a heart attack or severe skin reaction as a result of taking Bextra®, please contact our office in Jacksonville, Florida, today.
For many consumers, pharmaceutical litigation is a confusing topic. It seems like almost every day a new drug is being pulled off the market or a new warning has been issued to health care providers. If you are experiencing side effects associated with any of the drugs featured on this page, or if you would like to learn more about the latest recalls and warnings, contact Farah and Farah today. You can also visit our legal news page for more information about defective drugs topics.
Contact Farah and Farah today to learn more about filing pharmaceutical litigation claims.
Farah and Farah, P.A.
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