Articles Posted in Dangerous Drugs

In highly regulated industries like the pharmaceutical industry, medicines typically undergo rigorous testing to ensure the safety of the drug before it goes on the market. But even drugs that have been on the market for years may later prove to be dangerous. Consumers that have been injured after taking a drug they believed to be safe may be entitled to compensation for their injuries through a Maryland product liability claim.

A “failure to warn” claim in Maryland is based on the contention that a defendant failed to adequately warn consumers of the risks involved with a product. In a claim involving a pharmaceutical drug, a manufacturer may be liable for failing to disclose the side effects of a drug or failing to disclose an unreasonably dangerous condition, for example. In general, a manufacturer is responsible for warning consumers of the risks of using a product, unless the risks are so obvious or well known that a warning is not required. Warnings must clear, direct, and easy to understand. Maryland courts will consider the knowledge and expertise of consumers in deciding whether a consumer can reasonably be expected to understand the risks of the product.

FDA Calls for Zantac to be Pulled From Market due to Probable Carcinogen

It is important for you to know that you know that if you were injured or became sick from taking a prescription or over-the-counter medication, you may be able to obtain Maryland injury damages by filing a dangerous drug lawsuit. Unfortunately, even though drug manufacturers are supposed to make sure that their medications are safe for patients to use, and warn of possibly dangerous side effects, this isn’t always the case.

In recent products liability news, a woman who took Humira to treat her Crohn’s disease is suing Abbott Laboratories because she says that the drug Humira caused her to sustain permanent damage to her optic nerves. Jamie Bixby says that when she called the drug manufacturer’s helpline to report that she was experiencing eye pain, a nurse told her that the symptoms weren’t related to Humira. Bixby eventually sought emergency care when one of her eyes began experiencing blurred vision with black holes. An eye doctor later said that Bixby’s optic nerves had sustained permanent injury.

In her dangerous drug complaint, Bixby contents that if Abbott had warned her or her gastroenterologist that her eye pain could have been caused by taking Humira, she would have stopped taking the medication right away and immediately gotten the medical help she needed. She says that before Abbott started marketing Humira to Crohn’s patients, it should have known the potential risk it posed to the eyes—especially as similar drugs reportedly have caused similar optic nerve deterioration. Bixby notes that those other drugs, which are made by competitors, warn about this specific injury risk.

This week, a Food and Drug Administration panel will review the effect of the flu medicine Tamiflu on the brain. 55 children in the United States reportedly exhibited abnormal behavior and other brain effects after taking the medication. 22 of the cases included serious symptoms, such as delirium, convulsions, and delusions.

Globally, more than 1800 children who have taken Tamiflu showed similar effects worldwide. Five children in Japan died because of psychiatric or neurological problems. Seven adults died because of neuropsychiatric problems.

75% of the 48 million prescriptions for Tamiflu are administered in Japan. Last March, the Japanese government issued a warning that Tamiflu’s use be restricted in young people.

There is no concrete evidence to show that Tamiflu causes problems in the brain or abnormal behavior. Terry Hurley, a spokesperson for drugmaker Roche Laboratories, says flu patients who have not taken Tamiflu also showed these symptoms. However, if a child or adult was injured from taking Tamiflu, he or she may have grounds to file a dangerous drug claim or lawsuit against Roche Laboratories.

Tamiflu is Roche’s number nine best-selling drug and, according to the Tamiflu Web site, it is the “number one doctor-prescribed flu medicine.” The FDA has recommended Tamiflu for use in children and adults over age one. Tamiflu is used as a flu vaccine and to treat flu symptoms.

FDA safety reviewers are recommending that Tamiflu labels be updated to include information about possible neuropsychiatric side effects.

The FDA’s review of Tamiflu comes a little over one month after the makers of several infant cold medicines voluntarily recalled infant cold medicines Dimetapp, Robitussin, Pediacare, Triaminic, Little Colds, and Tylenol because of accidental overdose concerns.

Earlier this month in Chicago, a woman sued Walgreen Co. and McNeil for the wrongful death of her 4-month-old son who died after taking Infant Tylenol Cold Decongestant Plus Cough and Pediatric Drops-Cough Plus Cold, which are two over-the-counter medications.

FDA panel to review Tamiflu’s effect on brain, USA Today, November 26, 2007
Lawsuit alleges Illinois infant died from cold medicine ingredient; mother suing 2 companies, International Herald Tribune/AP, November 14, 2007
Makers Pull Cold Medicines for Infants, CNN.com, October 11, 2007

Tamiflu

Related Web Resources:

FDA Questions the Safety Of Asthma Drugs for Kids, The Wall Street Journal, November 24,2007

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