Pharmaceutical Litigation in Texas
If you’ve suffered an injury due to defective medical devices or inadequately tested drugs such as: Fosamax, Paxil or any of the following drugs or devices, you may have grounds for a lawsuit.
- Fosamax-Manufactured by Merck, Fosamax is prescribed to treat osteoporosis and Paget's disease in both men and women. Fosamax has recently been linked to Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) or dead bone of the jaw. Frequently, the tissue in the jawbone fails to heal after a tooth extraction or other minor trauma, which causes the bone to be exposed eventually leading to an infection and may require significant antibiotic therapy or even surgery to remove the dying bone tissue. Many doctors agree that early detection and treatment of patients with jawbone necrosis is extremely important in saving the jawbone. Unfortunately, Merck has kept Fosamax on the market and refuses to remove it.
- Paxil - Paxil is a drug approved by the FDA to treat depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In September 2004, the FDA voted in favor of requiring all SSRI drugs (which stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor—the newest antidepressant medication on the market) to include a black box warning that these drugs can be linked to suicidal thoughts and behavior in children and adolescents. Additionally in December 2005, the FDA released information to health care providers that women who take Paxil in their first trimester of pregnancy were much more likely to have a baby with birth defects-particularly heart defects.
- Kugal Mesh Patch-This mesh patch was used to repair abdominal hernias. The Kugal Mesh Patch was folded to fit in the incision and a hard ring that was meant to reopen sometimes would break acting as a sharp, sword-like piece that could slice through internal organs. Several recalls were made between the end of 2005 and early 2007. The broken ring can perforate the intestines and cause fistulae, bowel obstruction, abscesses, and sepsis. An individual may experience symptoms from these complications such as fever, nausea, abdominal tenderness, abnormal bowel movements, diarrhea, and abdominal distension. An individual with any of those symptoms following insertion of this type of device should seek medical attention immediately.
- Tequin-Tequin is an antibiotic frequently prescribed to treat sinus, lung and urinary tract infections as well as sexually transmitted disease that are caused by bacteria. This drug was removed from the market in MAY 2006 because it was associated with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)—both could be potentially catastrophic blood sugar disorders.
- Seroquel- Seroquel is a FDA approved drug used to treat schizophrenia and acute mania in bipolar disorder. It has been known to cause heart failure and pneumonia in people who have taken this drug. Additionally, it can accelerate or lead to early onset of diabetes. Diabetes is of great concern because some of the side effects of diabetes is coma, pancreatitis or ketoacidosis.
- Steven’s Johnson Syndrome—Steven’s Johnson Syndrome is sometimes caused by an allergic reaction to various drugs including antibiotics, sedatives, and anti-convulsants like Dilantin. Symptoms of SJS may include skin rash, swelling or blistering of skin, fever, cough, difficulty breathing, malaise, swelling and lesions of gums, swelling of face, tongue or lips, excessive tearing or “stickiness? of eyes and painful urination caused by sores in the genital tract. Because SJS victims often have serious blistering and ulceration, many SJS patients are referred to various Burn Treatment Centers.
- MRI/MRA Contrast Agent- The FDA has recently put a “Black Box? warning on a contrast agent used in MRI/MRA with contract. The warning is because of hundreds of cases of an unusual but dangerous skin disease being reported with gadolinium-based contrast agents. These agents are used to improve MRI/MRA images, but can have tragic results when given to persons suffering from kidney disease. The skin disease, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), is portrayed by thickening of the skin hindering an individual’s movement and can cause broken bones. Organs have also been shown to be at risk of thickening. It is estimated that nearly 90-95 percent of NSF cases received gadolinium agents as part of a treatment a couple of months before developing the disorder.
- Drug-coated Stents- A study published in the American Journal of Medicine , the December 2006 issue, found that patients with the newer drug eluding heart stent are four to five times more likely to have blood clotting occur with than with the older bare metal stents. The increased risk of blood clotting (called “thrombosis?) is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and even death. The two FDA approved drug eluting stents are Johnson & Johnson’s Cypher Stent (emits sirolimus) and Boston Scientific’s Taxus Stent (emits paclitaxel). Drug coated stents were developed to help stop scarring that usually follows an angioplasty and which leads to further blockage of the artery and sometimes a need for additional angioplasty surgeries. However, the drug coated stents have been linked to cause blood clots which can then cause heart attacks.
Harmful drugs like those listed above and defective medical devices can cause serious injuries and even death. The lawyers at Kahn & Harrison know the ins and outs of the pharmaceutical industry, and can defend you against the makers of these products. Our lawyers will do everything they can to help you gain compensation for your injuries, and force the pharmaceutical industry to take responsibility for their actions.
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a defective drug or medical device, call us today for a free legal consultation.
