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Vioxx
March 12th, 2007
An Idaho state jury has found that the painkiller Vioxx contributed to the heart attack of a postal worker. The jury awarded him and his wife a multimillion-dollar verdict.
Frede...
April 24th, 2006
Merck suffered another setback on Friday when a Texas jury awarded $32 million in damages to the family of Leonel Garza, a 71-year-old Texan who died of a heart attack after briefly taking the prescription painkiller Vioxx.
Garza''s family sou...
Heparin
April 23rd, 2008
Hundreds of injuries and at least 81 deaths have been linked to contaminated heparin, the Food and Drug Administration reported this week.
On Monday, FDA offic...
Accutane
May 30th, 2007
Thirty-six-year-old Andrew McCarrell of Moody, Alabama was awarded $119,000 for his past medical expenses and $2.5 million in compensatory damages to cover his future medical costs and for pain and suffering in a jury verdict awarded yesterday. His law...
November 23rd, 2004
The FDA announced today a national registry for women of childbearing age prescribed the drug Accutane has been set up. Accutane is a powerful acne medication that can cause serious birth defects, including brain and heart damage, even in small amount...
Defective Drug Side Effects
September 21st, 2006
A new study on mice has established a link between the popular acne drug Roaccutane to depression and suicidal thoughts and behavior.
Since the drug''s Food and Drug Administration approval in the 1980s, serious concerns have been raised about...
Fentanyl Patch
March 3rd, 2008
Actavis Inc. has expanded its recent recall of fentanyl painkiller patches to include all lots sold in the United States. The company said the expansion is a precautionary measure because it cannot guarantee that all patches are without defect.
Adderall
February 9th, 2006
The Food and Drug Administration is examining the safety of attention deficit disorder (ADHD) drugs like Adderall and Ritalin following the reported deaths of 51 people in the U.S. This is not the first time federal re...
Ritalin
February 10th, 2006
The Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted for the strictest possible warning on attention deficit disorder drugs including Novartis AG''s, Ritalin and Shire''s Adderall. The new black box label will warn millions of consumers of...
Defective Drug Side Effects
May 25th, 2006
A new study estimating that attention-deficit hyperactivity drugs send thousands to the emergency room annually is renewing the debate over the risks associated with the highly prescribed medications.
Physicians with the Centers for Dise...
Adderall
April 22nd, 2008
The American Heart Association is recommending a thorough heart exam and electrocardiogram test for children who are prescribed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs like August 24th, 2006 Drug manufacturers of stimulant medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are following the Food and Drug Administration''s request to add stronger warning labels notifying consumers of the serious risks linked to the drugs. November 26th, 2004 Researchers in the UK warned in the journal Diabetes Care that on rare occasions, treatment with Avandia might cause a profound decrease in high-density lipoprotein, or the HDL good cholesterol, and an increase in fasting triglycerides.... October 18th, 2006 A new government run study has found that some medications seem to cause a disproportionate number of adverse events that oftentimes require visits to the emergency room, and sometimes even hospitalization. Study Details Defective Drug Side Effects
Avandia
Defective Drug Side Effects
December 27th, 2004
A prominent cardiologist, chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Dr. Eric J. Topol, urged the government to reassess its policy of allowing prescription drugs to be advertised directly to consumers in yesterday''s Journal of the A...
Zyprexa
March 7th, 2008
On March 6, 2008, the State of Alaska provided its opening arguments in a lawsuit against the maker of the schizophrenia drug Zyprexa.
The lawsuit contends that the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly played down the diabetes and weight gain July 10th, 2008 Allergan Inc. is being sued for failing to warn consumers of the dangers associated with Botox, the company’s blockbuster wrinkle treatment. The Complaint The lawsuit was filed o... June 19th, 2007 The nonprescription drug Alli (pronounced like the noun "ally") hit the shelves in February 2007 as the first over-the-counter diet drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Alli has some embarrassing side effects — ... March 7th, 2005 In the early 1990s, a homeopathic brand called Hyland’s crossed over as a “natural” remedy to be sold alongside mainstream drugs on store shelves. Homeopathic benefits belief is based on the idea that natural substances in small amounts can stimula... August 16th, 2004 Atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat, can be expected in one in four adults over the age of 40. Currently, nearly 2.3 million Americans suffer from atrial fibrillation, a type of arrhythmia that significantly increases risk ... May 9th, 2007 Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of rebates are being paid to physicians and dialysis centers each year in the U.S. by the pharmaceutical giants Amgen and Johnson & Johnson. The rebates are provided to doctors who choose to use the pharma companie... November 14th, 2007 The warning on three once-widely-used anemia drugs has been strengthened to highlight the risk of heart attack, worsening cancer, and death. The new changes expand on a black box warning<... November 17th, 2006 A new study indicates that high dosages of a popular drug used for the treatment of anemia in cancer and dialysis patients may raise the risk of heart complications and death. According to researchers, these findings suggest that epoetin—sold ... April 19th, 2007 Anemia patients getting treatment at large, for-profit kidney dialysis chains are often over-treated with epoetin—an anemia drug sold as Epogen and Procrit—increasing their risk of suffering potentially life-threatening side effects, a new study finds.... March 28th, 2007 Under pressure from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), manufacturers of anemia drugs implemented new, sterner black box warnings on bottle labels. The updated labels include a notice warning doctors to monitor patients' hemoglobin levels. January 8th, 2007 According to the Lancet Journal, more long-term data on the efficacy and safety of anti-obesity drugs such as Xenical (orlistat), Acomplia (rimonabant), and Meridia (sibutramine) need to be documented before medical professionals can be certain if the ... August 30th, 2006 Consumer advocacy group Public Citizen petitioned the Food and Drug Administration this week urging them to order drug makers to add stronger label warnings to Cipro and similar antibiotics. Petitioners cited the serious risk of tendon rupture... December 27th, 2005 A recent study of antidepressant use shows that there has been a remarkable drop in use by children. The high profile cases and US Food and Drug Administration warnings have been seen as effectively slowing down the dangerous drug''s prescription rates... December 6th, 2004 British health authorities have tightened warnings on popular antidepressants. Doctors have been urged to use the antidepressants sparingly, as well as to consider non-drug interventions like counseling. After safety concerns with antidepre... September 12th, 2006 Some antidepressants that have been associated with increasing the risk of suicide may now also be linked to violence, a new study suggests. Researchers found that patients using the antidepressant Paxil, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, were ... December 8th, 2004 Australian health authorities are looking into issuing new strong warnings for SSRI antidepressant drugs, which includes popular drugs Zoloft and Prozac. British regulators have already increased warnings about stopping the drugs suddenly. Defective Drug Side Effects
Amiodarone
Defective Drug Side Effects
Common Defective Drugs
Defective Drug Side Effects
Common Defective Drugs
Defective Drug Side Effects
Zoloft
March 22nd, 2004
At last month''s FDA meeting families of suicide victims emotionally asked the drug agency to provide stronger warnings on antidepressants. The warnings come a year after British health authorities first became alarmed about how newer generation an...
Defective Drug Side Effects
May 8th, 2007
The Food and Drug Administration announced last week that all antidepressant labeling will be revised to highlight the increased risk of suicide in young adults
Antidepressants are currently required to carry a bold black box warning to alert ...
Arava
November 18th, 2004
When FDA medical reviewer David Graham told lawmakers during a congressional hearing on the recall of Vioxx that drugs require stricter safety evaluations, he didn''t stop there. Graham named five other drugs currently on the market that he belie...
Defective Drug Side Effects
April 10th, 2007
An arthritis drug exalted by its manufacturers as the replacement for its Vioxx – which has been pulled from the market because of the cardiovascular risks associated with its use – is now thought to be just as dangerous by a number of doctors.
<...May 17th, 2006
A new study conducted by researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that rheumatoid arthritis patients taking Humira or Remicade stand an increased risk for developing several types of cancer or serious infection.
The drugs already have warn...
Vioxx
October 7th, 2004
After Vioxx was just pulled from the market, the FDA said it was considering further studies for the other arthritis drugs in the cox-2 inhibitor class. Two reports released October 6 by the New England Journal of Medicine suggests, contrary to what f...
Defective Drug Side Effects
March 7th, 2005
A long-awaited 10-year study involving nearly 40,000 women provides the first strong evidence of the benefits of healthy women taking aspirin regularly. Researchers reported aspirin does not protect women against heart attacks in the same way it do...
Common Defective Drugs
May 8th, 2006
At least 45 unexplained child deaths occurred between 2000 and 2004, which the FDA suspects may have been caused by the use of atypical antipsychotic drugs.
Atypical antipsychotic drugs are currently only approved to treat adults suffering fro...
Avandia
August 15th, 2007
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that the controversial diabetes drug from GlaxoSmithKline, Avandia, will now carry a "black box" warning on its ...
January 6th, 2006
GlaxoSmithKline and the FDA are both warning the public about a new study linking eye problems in diabetic patients who take the diabetes drugs Avandia or Avandamet.
The eye problems, known collectively as macular edema, are the result of leak...
July 30th, 2007
Dr. David Graham, a medical officer in the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, said today that the Type 2 diabetes treatment drug Avandia should be p...
July 13th, 2007
Reports of heart problems linked to the diabetes drug Avandia soared after the May 21 publication of an analysis describing potential cardiovascular risks of Avandia treatment. The stud...
September 12th, 2007
The once-popular diabetes drug Avandia significantly raises the risk of heart failure and heart attack, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Ass...
May 22nd, 2007
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety alert today concerning the drug Avandia (rosiglitazone), which was approved by the FDA in 1999 as a treatment for type 2 diab...
November 11th, 2004
According to a study presented at the American Heart Association scientific meeting, Avandia rival diabetes drug Actos was more effective in diabetics with high levels of triglycerides and low levels of HDL, the good cholesterol. Actos was shown ...
Crestor
October 29th, 2004
According to the Public Citizen consumer group, 29 patients taking AstraZeneca Plc''s statin drug Crestor have developed kidney damage. Public Citizen first issued an FDA petition in March 2004 for the immediate ban of Crestor in the U.S. After com...
Baycol
March 20th, 2004
Bayer''s Baycol cholesterol drug was recalled in August 2001 and is now linked to over 100 deaths. The company has so far paid $842 million to settle 2,224 cases but still faces 9,948 more Baycol cases. Now the company is facing a class action in Penns...
November 22nd, 2004
An editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association is one of just several articles to appear in next week’s edition that focuses on the FDA’s ability to effectively monitor drug safety. Following the September Vioxx recall, more critics h...
Baytril
July 29th, 2005
For the first time ever, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will withdraw approval of a veterinary drug because it has caused the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria that threaten human health.
Bayer’s Baytril was licensed in 1996 ...
Bextra
January 24th, 2005
Public Citizen petitioned the FDA to immediately remove two popular Pfizer Inc. drugs from the market because of concerns they increase the risk of heart attacks in patients.
Celebrex and Bextra belong to a class of drugs called COX-2 inhib...
January 30th, 2005
California based Kaiser Permanente, the largest HMO in the United States, has banned Pfizer Inc.''s Bextra because of "an issue of patient safety," according Beverly Hayon, a spokeswoman for Kaiser.
Kaiser ordered its pharmacies to stop di...
April 7th, 2005
Pfizer Inc. has agreed to pull Bextra off the market in response to an FDA request, making it the second COX-2 inhibitor to be pulled off the market because of cardiovascular risks.
Last September, Merck & Co.’s Vioxx was pulled off the mark...
April 11th, 2005
The Food and Drug Administration asked Pfizer Inc. to withdraw its arthritis drug Bextra because of the risks of increased heart attacks, strokes and a potentially fatal skin disease called Stevens Johnson syndrome.
Bextra’s removal from th...
November 10th, 2004
After a prominent cardiologist Garret FitzGerald reported a pooled analysis of clinical trial results showed patients taking Pfizer''s Bextra arthritis drug were twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as those taking a placebo, Pfizer fir...
November 8th, 2004
A black box warning is the strongest warning available for prescription drugs. Following the Vioxx recall, Pfizer''s rival painkillers Bextra and Celebrex have also been under scrutiny. Both of Pfizer''s drugs belong to the same Cox-2 drug class that V...
Defective Drug Side Effects
February 6th, 2007
Low-dose birth control pills containing desogestrel can greatly increase the risk of potentially fatal blood clots, according to the research of a consumer advocacy group.
While all contraceptive pills are associated with an increase in risk o...
Paxil
August 3rd, 2006
A woman whose child was born with half a heart has filed a lawsuit against her doctor and the maker of Paxil, alleging that the drug caused her son''s birth defect.
Paxil is a popular anti-depressant manufactured by Glaxo Smith Klein. Recently...
Serevent
March 7th, 2006
Two of the most popular asthma medications, Advair and Serevent, will carry the strongest warning label alerting consumers of the heightened risk of death associated with an ingredient found in these drugs.
The new “black box” warning cautions...
Defective Drug Side Effects
June 9th, 2006
A new study has found that a popular class of blood pressure drugs known as ACE inhibitors nearly triples the risk of birth defects if taken during the first trimester.
ACE inhibitors have long been linked with birth defects, but previous stud...
Vioxx
March 15th, 2004
The popular arthritis drug Vioxx is once again the subject of concern among heart specialists. A study conducted by Andrew Whelton, MD, of Universal Clinical Research Center in Maryland has shown that taking Vioxx in combination with high blood pressur...
Defective Drug Side Effects
January 9th, 2007
Researchers have found a huge increase in the rate of bleeding in the brain associated with warfarin an anticoagulant drug.
The researchers from the University of Cincinnati also found that the rate of brain hemorrhages has increased tenfol...
Common Defective Drugs
January 25th, 2008
The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen is seeking heightened warnings on Botox and a similar injectable over the risk of death and serious injury caused by spread of the drugs to vital organs.
According to the group, 16 deaths are associate...
Ephedrine And Metabolife
October 17th, 2005
There is a new batch of diet pills popularly taken to lose weight called “Brazilian diet pills” that could contain damaging drugs that could result in serious side effects. Lab tests on several types of the Brazilian diet pills found high levels of November 1st, 2006 Woman who use birth control pills may be slightly more prone to developing breast cancer earlier on in life, with the highest risk for those who take oral contraceptives prior to having their first child, the results of a new analysis indicates. Defective Drug Side Effects
October 17th, 2007
The diabetes drug Byetta has been linked to acute pancreatitis, a potentially fatal condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed, according to a new Food and Drug Administration warning.
About Byetta
Byetta gained...
Vioxx
October 5th, 2004
Vioxx was approved in Canada in 1999, quickly becoming the country''s 10 th top selling drug. In 2003, more than 3.36 million prescriptions of Vioxx were filled, costing $194.4 million. After Merck announced Vioxx was being pulled off the market, t...
Celebrex
February 25th, 2005
Merck & Co. and Pfizer Inc. have been criticized for their aggressive marketing campaigns for its COX-2 drugs, putting scrutiny on pharmaceutical advertising as a whole. Between December 2003 and November 2004, pharmaceutical ad spending increased 30...
January 24th, 2005
Public Citizen consumer group urged the FDA today to immediately order painkillers Celebrex and Bextra off the market.
The two COX-2 inhibitor drugs manufactured by Pfizer Inc. have been controversial since Vioxx, another painkiller in the ...
March 23rd, 2005
After COX-2 painkillers – Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra- came under scrutiny when cardiovascular risks were associated to the drugs some drugmakers saw this as an opportunity to try to capitalize on the events.
Vioxx went off the market in Se...
December 17th, 2004
Pfizer has announced patients taking its arthritis drug Celebrex in a long-term cancer-prevention trial had more than twice the number of fatal or non-fatal heart attacks as those taking a placebo.
The National Cancer Institute sponsored the ...
Vioxx
November 4th, 2004
After reports from Canadian health authorities linking Celebrex to the deaths of 14 people taking the painkiller over the past five years, Pfizer Inc. came out, once again, defending the safety of its drug. The documents included more than 100 adverse ...
Celebrex
December 20th, 2004
After Pfizer Inc. announced its best selling arthritis drug Celebrex is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, the company has agreed to the FDA''s request to pull Celebrex ads from TV, radio, newspapers and magazines. According to ...
Defective Drug Side Effects
October 31st, 2007
First trimester use of the organ rejection drug CellCept is linked to an increased risk of spontaneous abortion and fetal birth defects, according to a Food and Drug Admini...
November 21st, 2007
Scientists are currently investigating Chantix, a drug manufactured by Pfizer Inc., that is meant to help smokers quit their habit.
More research is being done on the drug since there have been reports of increased thoughts of suicide and viol...
May 27th, 2008
Truckers and drivers of commercial vehicles should not be given Chantix, said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) last week. The agency is responsible for overseeing the interstate trucking industry.
December 8th, 2005 A Beijing based law firm will file a collective lawsuit against Merck & Co. next year. Currently, the law firm is looking for former Chinese Vioxx users who have suffered from side effects. Vioxx was taken off the worldwide market in Septe... April 4th, 2005 According to a new study, if provided by experienced psychotherapists, cognitive therapy may be as effective as antidepressant drugs in initial treatment of moderate to severe depression. The study included 240 people with moderate to seve... December 16th, 2004 When people are suffering symptoms of a cold or flu, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns consumers should be cautious of taking more than one medication at a time. The two drugs could share ingredients, causing an increased risk of dangerous ov... April 2nd, 2007 Novartis AG will no longer sell their constipation drug after a study found that it was linked to an increased chance of stroke, heart attack and an increase in chest pain that could become a heart attack, said federal officials. The Swiss dru... January 2nd, 2006 Several high profile groups around the country, including the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) based in Los Angeles, CA are calling on Pfizer to remove advertising for Viagra that the groups say promotes unsafe activity. The full-page ads ran ... November 29th, 2004 After Merck & Co. withdrew Vioxx arthritis painkiller from the market at the end of September, controversy and finger pointing has resulted. Vioxx has been off the market for weeks now, but questions without answers continue to be asked. Many people ar... October 9th, 2006 Bristol-Meyers Squibb has strengthened the label warning on its blood-thinning drug, Coumadin, generically known as warfarin. The new label includes a black box, and warns of the increased risk of “fatal bleeding” associated with the drug''s use. Drug Company Information
Paxil
Defective Drug Side Effects
Viagra
Vioxx
Defective Drug Side Effects
January 10th, 2007
The associate director for science and medicine at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Drug Safety, David Graham, told U.S. advisers “there really doesn’t appear to be a need” for COX-2 drugs.
Last September, popular arthritis p...
February 18th, 2005
The advisers to the FDA strongly favor keeping Celebrex on the market, but the panel is split over Bextra’s benefit. Vioxx, which was removed from the market last September, is still not on sale by a vote of just 17-15.
Although the FDA do...
Crestor
October 10th, 2004
Crestor (rosuvastatin) cholesterol lowering drug is manufactured by AstraZeneca, the U.K.''s second largest drugmaker. The company has just announced it has 7.5 percent of new U.S. prescriptions, which is an increase from the company''s last update...
March 2nd, 2005
The FDA has announced that Crestor is being relabeled to add a warning that starter doses should be reduced in Asian-American patients, as well as some other higher risk patients.
A clinical trial found that levels in Asian patients were d...
June 25th, 2004
Public Citizen consumer group has been against the approval of Crestor cholesterol drug, citing evidence of increased incidence of rhabdomyolysis, a condition that causes muscle deterioration. The FDA still approved Crestor and said the toxicity was on...
August 3rd, 2004
Public Citizen consumer group has been pushing government regulators to pull Crestor from the market because of safety concerns. Now, the group has argued AstraZeneca should be the subject of an FDA criminal investigation for illegally delaying the sub...
March 15th, 2005
The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen submitted a petition to the FDA a year ago asking the agency to immediately withdraw the anti-cholesterol drug Crestor, but the agency has denied its request.
Crestor belongs to a group of drugs ...
March 2nd, 2005
The FDA announced a revised drug labeling for the cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor would be added, warning of the serious muscle damage called rhabdomyolysis.
A clinical trial found levels of Crestor in Asian patients were double those of C...
August 12th, 2004
Crestor, a cholesterol lowering drug, was approved for the U.S. one year ago, quickly generating sales of $465 million through the end of the second quarter. AstraZeneca''s nearly $4 billion in annual sales of the drug has been the target of some contr...
December 27th, 2004
The FDA and the drug industry it is supposed to regulate have been the target of harsh criticism in recent years. The last couple of months have brought even more attention to the issue of public safety. The debate is intensifying, involving the FDA, ...
Vioxx
April 11th, 2006
A New Jersey jury awarded $9 million in punitive damages Tuesday to a man who suffered a heart attack, which he claims was a direct result from the painkiller Vioxx.
The jury found that Vioxx manufacturer, Merck & Co., intentionally withhel...
Defective Drug Side Effects
November 18th, 2004
A senate hearing regarding Vioxx began Thursday, November 18 following the massive drug recall announced by manufacturer Merck & Co. at the end of September. Inquiries about both the FDA and Merck''s knowledge about Vioxx safety concerns and w...
Depakote
March 15th, 2004
Depakote is currently the mot prescribed branded treatment for patients with mania associated with bipolar disorder and the most prescribed branded treatment for epilepsy. Made by Abbott Laboratories, the company just had a victory after proving a gene...
Common Defective Drugs
December 6th, 2007
The bed-wetting drug desmopressin may cause potentially fatal seizures in some patients, according to a new warning issued by the Food and Drug Administration earlier this week.
Desmopressin is manufactured by several companies and sold as a t...
Avandia
February 6th, 2008
A government run diabetes trial was halted 18 months early after a safety analysis revealed an increased risk of death in patients whose blood sugar levels dipped too low.
The 10,000 patient trial was examining the effectiveness of aggressive ...
Defective Drug Side Effects
December 13th, 2006
The manufacturers of dietary supplements will soon be required to tell federal drug regulators of any reported severe reactions to their products, as part of new legislation that is cracking down on this lightly monitored industry.
The new mea...
Common Defective Drugs
June 24th, 2008
America’s U.S. Watchdog today announced the launch of their national investigation involving Digitek.
Digitek is a heart medication that was recalled last April and has been the topic of much debate and subject of many...
Digitek
August 5th, 2008
According to recent reports, Actavis Totowa, the makers of Digitek, have recalled all generic drugs manufactured at their New Jersey plant.
...
Defective Drug Side Effects
April 11th, 2007
The Food and Drug Administration said that the label on a Johnson & Johnson drug administered to treat bladder conditions should have warnings about the drug's potential to cause agitation or hallucinations in children.
The Propose...
January 10th, 2007
Drug Maker Sued for Woman''s Amputation
Drug maker Wyeth and Co. must pay about $6.8 million to a woman who had to have her arm removed after she was injected with one of its drugs.
In the Supreme Court''s opinion, th...
February 28th, 2005
After a panel of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted last week to allow the possible return of Vioxx, as well as voting to allow Celebrex and Bextra to remain on the U.S. market, The New York Times, then The Associated Press, reported that 10 ...
Paxil
October 15th, 2004
The FDA directed manufacturers of all antidepressant drugs to revise its product labeling to include a boxed warning and expanded warning statements that notify health care providers of an increased risk of suicidality, or suicidal thinking and behavio...
Defective Drug Side Effects
May 10th, 2007
The U.S. Senate voted 93-to-1 on Wednesday to pass a new bill authorizing important new powers for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Drafted by senators Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Michael B. Enzi (R-Wyo.), the bill provides for increased fundin...
September 11th, 2007
Prescription drug-related adverse events and deaths have increased nearly threefold since 1998 when the Food and Drug Administration implemented a system for reporting serious side effects, researchers said yesterday.
According to a new report...
Zyprexa
October 12th, 2004
Eli Lilly issued a warning about Zyprexa schizophrenia drug after it was linked to 49 adverse events worldwide, eight of them being fatal. The company issued the warning after a review of the deaths showed Zyprexa intramuscular had been prescribed ...
Fentanyl Patch
September 21st, 2007
Skin patches used to administer drugs, such as the Duragesic pain patch and the contraceptive Ortho...
August 28th, 2006
A Texas jury awarded $772,500 to the family of a woman who died in 2004 from a leak in the Duragesic patch she was using to help ease pain after a car accident.
The state court found the two Johnson & Johnson ...
February 13th, 2008
Approximately 32 million fentanyl-containing pain patches are being recalled by Johnson & Johnson over a manufacturing flaw that could lead to unintentional overdose.
The patches, sold under the brand name Read More...
December 24th, 2007
The Food and Drug Administration issued another warning for the Duragesic and other fentanyl-containing pain patches, which have been associated with hundreds of accidental d...
Zyprexa
April 21st, 2004
Eli Lilly and Company requested a judicial panel consolidate the large, and still growing, number of Zyprexa lawsuits in Indiana. The request was denied but about two-dozen federal cases around the country, in addition to future cases, will be consoli...
Drug Company Information
December 21st, 2005
Drug giant Eli Lilly and Co., manufacturer of such blockbuster drugs as Prozac and Zyprexa have pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge as a part of a legal settlement with the US government. The US charged that Eli Lilly had been marketing its drug Evista...
Ephedrine And Metabolife
December 30th, 2003
The FDA announced the dietary supplement ephedra was finally being banned from the market. The agency''s action has come after years of debate and controversy, including some high profile deaths. Consumer watchdog group Public Citizen petitioned the FD...
January 20th, 2004
On Friday, February 6, 2004, the Bush administration is expected to finalize the ephedra ban. Once finalized, ephedra will be removed from shelves by April. Ephedra has been a highly controversial herbal stimulant linked to 155 deaths and numerous hea...
October 15th, 2004
According to researchers, a study sponsored by the American Medical Association found when dogs were given ephedrine supplements , very dangerous effects were suffered. Often used as a decongestant, the ephedrine-containing supplements had little e...
August 28th, 2004
After the FDA banned ephedra-containing products, the shelves began to be lined with new “ephedra-free” weight loss remedies. In the September issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, a group of Georgetown University Medical Center researchers state...
January 20th, 2004
On Friday, February 6, 2004, the Bush administration is expected to finalize the ephedra ban. Once finalized, ephedra will be removed from shelves by April. Ephedra has been a highly controversial herbal stimulant linked to 155 deaths and numerous hear...
Defective Drug Side Effects
February 1st, 2008
A group of drugs used to treat epilepsy, bipolar and mood disorder have been linked to a twofold increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Analysis Reveals Risk
In a la...
Erythromycin
September 9th, 2004
Erythromycin is a common antibiotic drug that is used to treat a wide range of symptoms. A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown the drug generally thought of as safe actually dramatically increases the risk of cardiac arrest. Eryt...
September 10th, 2004
For years, erythromycin has been used as a broad based antibiotic to treat bacterial infections and used in HIV positive individuals. The common use of the drug has been under the assumption that the drug was considered to be safe and effective. A new ...
Defective Drug Side Effects
May 23rd, 2007
In a warning to healthcare professionals yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration said that Novartis AG drug Exjade may cause acute renal failure and death.
Exjade is an FDA approved drug used to remove excess iron in patients two and older...
January 29th, 2007
Makers of the drug Lucentis have issued a warning that the drug used to treat age-related blindness has been linked with an increased incidence of stroke.
The makers, Genentech, sent a letter to a group of 1,500 eye specialists warning that ea...
Ritalin
March 21st, 2006
On Wednesday, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee will debate whether the FDA should require attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder drugs to carry an updated label. The new label would warn millions of ADHD drug users of the possib...
Defective Drug Side Effects
December 14th, 2006
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel of experts is urging the makers of at least 12 antidepressant drugs to expand their label warnings after studies indicated the medications increased the risk of suicidal behavior in a broader span of patients t...
Avandia
May 25th, 2007
The FDA conducted its own analysis of the risks of heart attack and other heart problems associated with the Type 2 diabetes drug Avandia, and had found significantly increased risks lo...
Defective Drug Side Effects
September 5th, 2006
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, who once turned an eye from custom drug blending, now pledges to take a harder look at how pharmacists compound bulk ingredients.
Compounding pharmacies where various ingredients are blended to create cus...
March 4th, 2005
A dozen consumer groups have called on the FDA to examine the scientists on its advisory committees, excluding doctors or researchers with close industry ties from the group.
The advocacy groups sent a letter to the agency saying the F...
Common Defective Drugs
March 6th, 2007
An analysis of Food and Drug Administration policy by researchers at Harvard University School of Public Health (HSPH) and at Brigham & Women's Hospital determined that the FDA should allow greater access to its drug safety information to allow for gre...
Defective Drug Side Effects
September 26th, 2007
The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning today about the risk of potentially fatal overdoses with Fentora, a narcotic painkiller manufactured by Cephalon. The action comes less than two weeks after the company sent a Read More...
Drug Company Information
January 19th, 2006
A selectively worded preamble to the recently passed new drug labeling guidelines is causing controversy among lawyers, Congress, and citizen watch groups. The “federal preemption” included in the guidelines scheduled for release in June, suggests that...
Defective Drug Side Effects
November 22nd, 2005
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has just sent an “approvable” letter for the diabetes drug muraglitazar (Pargluva), but a consumer group and two clinical trial experts have told the agency it should not be approved.
According to watchdog...
Paxil
September 28th, 2005
GlaxoSmithKline and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are warning healthcare professionals that a study has linked Paxil to double the risks of serious birth defects among infants born to women taking Paxil during the first trimester of pregnancy c...
Defective Drug Side Effects
April 3rd, 2007
Permax (generically known as peroglide), a drug used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, has been pulled from United States shelves because it has been associated with an increased risk of heart valve damage.
Food and Drug Administration ...
Adderall
March 23rd, 2006
Yesterday, a Food and Drug Administration pediatric advisory panel voted against recommending a “black box” warning for popular attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs like Novartis AG''s Ritalin and Shire Plc''s Adderall.
The federal a...
Vioxx
September 28th, 2005
Only two months after being Senate-appointed to the position of FDA Commissioner, Dr. Lester Crawford has suddenly resigned. The resignation follows a tumultuous year for the FDA. Some 4,200 lawsuits have been filed against Merck, the maker of Vioxx,...
October 8th, 2004
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), an investigative arm of Congress, had already been investigating the FDA for allegations the agency silenced an internal staffer who linked antidepressants to increased odds of suicidal tendencies among c...
Bextra
May 16th, 2005
After a controversial year of drug recalls, the FDA was under attack for failing to adequately protect consumers from dangerous drugs. Currently, the FDA has the Adverse Event Reporting System, or AERS, to collect voluntary reports of possible reactio...
May 21st, 2005
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has started issuing alerts to patients and doctors on its new site Drug Watch. Including emerging drug-safety concerns, as well as dangers presented by drugs prescribed for unapproved uses, the new site is in resp...
Oxycontin
November 8th, 2005
Legislation promoted by Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.) and attached to a multi-department appropriations bill was passed last year with little notice, but this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and many drug makers and doctors objected to its ren...
Vioxx
November 28th, 2005
The first federal trial over Merck & Co.''s withdrawn painkiller Vioxx is scheduled to begin tomorrow.
The federal case involves Richard “Dicky” Irvin, a 53-year-old manager of a wholesale seafood distributor in St. Augustine, Florida. Irvin...
Drug Company Information
November 30th, 2005
Swiss drug manufacturer Novartis is warning fertility doctors that its breast cancer drug, marketed under the name Femara (letrozole), has been associated with birth defects. The safety warning was prompted by reports ...
Fentanyl Patch
July 18th, 2005
The FDA warned Friday, July 15th that a painkilling skin patch marketed under the name Duragesic by Janssen, a company owned by Johnson & Johnson, could cause drug overdoses that may have resulted in 120 deaths.
The agency is currently inve...
Defective Drug Side Effects
September 14th, 2007
The powerful narcotic Fentora, used to treat acute pain in cancer patients, has been linked to four deaths. Since its launch last October, approximately 78,000 prescriptions have been written for the drug.
According to drug maker Cephalon Inc....
Levaquin Lawsuit
July 9th, 2008
A class of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones needs heightened warnings about the risk of tendon rupture and tendonitis, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday.
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics include:
-
...
Fosamax
April 30th, 2008
A new study suggests that women taking the osteoporosis drug Fosamax are twice as likely to develop a chronic heart condition known as atrial fibrillat...
January 29th, 2008
A new lawsuit has been filed against Merck & Co. over its osteoporosis drug Fosamax. The suit claims the drug caused a Connecticut woman to suffer multiple stress fractures in her l...
Geodon
September 3rd, 2004
In response to a 2003 Food and Drug Administration request that drug manufacturers revise warnings on antipsychotic medications, Pfizer Inc. released a statement alerting physicians to reports that Geodon has been linked to extremely high blood sugar a...
Defective Drug Side Effects
July 24th, 2006
A new study found that the popular cancer-fighting drug Gleevec may cause severe congestive heart failure.
Gleevec, manufactured by Novartis Pharmaceuticals, is a top-selling drug with worldwide sales totaling more than $1 billion so far this ...
December 7th, 2006
A widely used hair-loss drug for men has been found to change prostate cancer test results, causing skewed interpretations that could hide the presence of cancer cells, according to a new study.
Men that use Merck & Co.''s Propecia “should...
Vioxx
October 13th, 2004
The FDA has issued a public health advisory following the September 30, 2004 Vioxx recall announcement, advising any patients using the drug to consult with a physician about alternative medicine. Vioxx has been linked to increased risk of cardiov...
Defective Drug Side Effects
December 27th, 2004
According to a study in the December issue of the American Journal of Public Health, African Americans do not receive the same healthcare as whites. The study estimates more than 886,000 deaths could have been prevented from 1991 to 2000 if African A...
Bextra
December 9th, 2004
Pfizer Inc., the world''s biggest drugmaker, will warn doctors of the elevated risk of blood clots, heart attacks and strokes its painkiller Bextra has been linked to when taken by cardiac-surgery patients.
The drug company will also hig...
Heparin
May 15th, 2008
Medical device maker Medtronic has issued a voluntary recall of heparin-coated bypass equipment, including pumps, reservoirs and blood oxygenators. The company said the recall is a pre...
March 11th, 2008
Three Japanese companies have issued a recall of the anti-clotting drug heparin as a precautionary measure, said the Food and Drug Administration on Monday.
Chinese-Sou...
April 10th, 2008
The death toll associated with the blood thinner heparin has increased to 62, the Food and Drug Administration reported after a recent analysis.
Most of the de...
July 31st, 2008
After months of investigation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has definitively tied three patient deaths to contaminated heparin.
Heparin...
May 5th, 2008
The families of people who died from contaminated heparin injections testified before Congress last week, expressing anger and grief over manufacturing and regulatory safety failures.
March 24th, 2008
Twenty-three lots of heparin-containing blood thinner have been recalled by B. Braun Medical Inc. as a precautionary measure after the company’s ...
Defective Drug Side Effects
August 15th, 2006
New findings published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology found that two of the most popular treatments for breast cancer—the drug Herceptin and radiation therapy—can cause cardiovascular problems in breast cancer patients.
These stu...
Accutane
August 23rd, 2006
A new study warns that approximately one in three patients who took the acne drug Accutane experienced a rise in cholesterol levels and more than 40 percent showed increased levels of triglycerides, or blood fats—a higher percentage than what previous ...
February 3rd, 2004
Hormone replacement therapy used to be a common treatment method for all women going through menopause. In July 2002, the views on hormone replacement therapy drastically changed when a US trial was ended after five years, three years early because of ...
October 5th, 2006
A Philadelphia jury—in the first phase of a defective drug lawsuit filed against Wyeth—awarded a women and her husband $1.5 million in compensation after they found that a hormone replacement therapy drug at least partially resulted in her ...
October 5th, 2006
A Philadelphia jury—in the first phase of a defective drug lawsuit filed against Wyeth—awarded a women and her husband $1.5 million in compensation after they found that a hormone replacement therapy drug at least partially resulted in her breast cance...
February 3rd, 2004
Hormone replacement therapy used to be a common treatment method for all women going through menopause. In July 2002, the views on hormone replacement therapy drastically changed when a US trial was ended after five years, three years early because of ...
Common Defective Drugs
April 5th, 2007
Ibuprofen, the painkiller found in Motrin and Advil, may increase the risk of heart problems in patients who take aspirin daily to lower cardiovascular risk, a new study has found.
The study was published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Disease...
Vioxx
October 5th, 2004
After Merck & Co announced it was pulling Vioxx off the market because of safety concerns, lawsuits were immediately filed on behalf of the millions of people using the drug for arthritis, pain, menstrual symptoms and the possible prevention of colon c...
Defective Drug Side Effects
October 25th, 2007
A government advisory panel recommended a ban on cough and cold medicines for children under the age of 6. In its decision, the panel stated that the drugs have not been proven safe and effective and in some cases may even be harmful.
More than...
Fosamax
June 2nd, 2006
Drugs that once seemed safe for patients with cancer or osteoporosis have recently been linked to a rare bone disease that has doctors perplexed and patients worried.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a serious, sometimes disfiguring, conditio...
Kava Kava
February 18th, 2004
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory to consumers about the potential risk of severe liver injury resulting from the use of dietary supplements containing kava. A plant indigenous to the South Pacific, kava (also commonly referr...
January 27th, 2004
Cancer patients have been warned against using herbal remedies and food supplements during treatment due to serious adverse effects that can be suffered. Medicinal plants are an industry of quickly growing proportions, estimated at a worth of over $60 ...
Ketek
June 15th, 2006
A United States senator is accusing the Food and Drug Administration of attempting to cover up information pertaining to its review of the controversial antibiotic Ketek .
The Senate Finance Committee, led by Republican Charles Grassley, is cu...
November 15th, 2006
A popular antibiotic that has been linked to rare cases of severe live damage including several deaths faces more scrutiny by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a panel of outside medical experts will thoroughly evaluate the risks and benefits of...
February 13th, 2007
The Food and Drug Administration said Ketek, an antibiotic manufactured by drug giant Sanofi-Aventis, can no longer be marketed as treatment for two common sicknesses, and will now be required to carry a stronger warning on its label.
Ketek sh...
Vioxx
November 9th, 2007
The third-largest drugmaker in the U.S, Merck, agreed to settle a majority of their claims involving the painkiller Vioxx for $4.85 billion.
The settlement is reportedly the larg...
Lariam
March 5th, 2004
The Pentagon announced in late February that it would look into whether a widely-used anti-malarial drug that the Army developed could be causing suicides. The announcement, made to Congress, came as a surprise, since the Pentagon had asserted only one...
March 19th, 2004
Safety concerns about Lariam anti-malaria pill continues to be raised. After a Fort Carson Green Beret committed suicide weeks after returning home from Iraq, the Defense Department researchers have asked for a blood sample. The soldier was believed to...
Bextra
November 15th, 2004
Pfizer is the target of a class action lawsuit filed November 12 alleging the company violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. The suit is seeking up to $75,000 per class member with allegations that Pfizer failed to p...
Digitek
July 23rd, 2008
At least nine lawsuits have been filed in a New Jersey federal court in the wake of an April 2008 recall of Digitek, a prescription drug used in ...
Defective Drug Side Effects
March 26th, 2007
After disclosures alerting the Food and Drug Administration that the pharmaceutical industry has been paying millions of dollars to physicians, the FDA is seeking to exclude scientists with substantial financial ties to medical device and drug companie...
February 4th, 2005
The Wall Street Journal reports the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research that will be made public at not cost within 12 months of publication in a scientific journal.
The original proposal of an initiative that NIH Direct...
January 16th, 2007
A new study has found that over-the-counter cold medications can be hazardous and even deadly to infants.
The government research found that more than 1,500 children under two years old were admitted to emergency rooms for problems caused by t...
Vioxx
October 5th, 2004
A lawsuit was filed against Merck in the Tel Aviv District Court, in addition to an application for the suit to be recognized as a class action. Claimants are suing for damages of NIS 1.4 billion, or NIS 1.1 billion depending on the group represented...
May 3rd, 2006
Vioxx had a high risk of heart attack with short-term use, according to a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
Merck, the maker of Vioxx, has maintained that the potential for heart risks in patients taking t...
April 17th, 2008
Two reports released Wednesday reveal that Merck waged a deceptive promotional campaign for its top-selling painkiller Vioxx and disguised company studies as the work of outside scientists.
JAMA Studies
<...Drug Company Information
November 28th, 2005
In response to expiring drug patents and massive litigation over its recalled painkiller Vioxx, Merck & Co. has announced it would eliminate 7,000 jobs, or 11% of its worldwide work force, and close some manufacturing plants.
Merck said it w...
Fosamax
June 5th, 2006
A lawsuit filed in a Florida federal court is claiming that Merck, the maker of Fosamax, was negligent in promoting its popular osteoporosis drug.
According to the complaint, Merck knew that Fosamax was defective but continuously concealed i...
Vioxx
November 3rd, 2005
In the closely watched second Vioxx related lawsuit to go to trial the jury found Merck did not fail to warn consumers about the safety of the painkiller, was not guilty of fraud, did not misrepresent the cardiovascular risks of Vioxx while marketing i...
August 17th, 2006
A U.S. federal jury awarded a former FBI agent $51 million in compensation in the second federal trial involving Vioxx, marking Merck & Co.''s fourth loss in nine trials.
The jury found Merck liable for negligence and intentional misrepres...
April 6th, 2006
A New Jersey jury ruled against Merck & Co. in the pivotal Vioxx trial, finding that the drug company did not adequately warn patients of the dangers of Vioxx.
After a two-day deliberation, the jurors found Merck liable for the heart at...
October 13th, 2004
At a news conference, Merck Research Laboratories president Peter Kim defended the company''s actions in promptly removing Vioxx from the market when clear scientific evidence showed increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The trial results of M...
September 28th, 2005
Documents revealed in the latest Vioxx lawsuit show that the drug did have twice as much risk for causing heart attacks than other medications. The complete findings were not part of the Merck documentation sent to the FDA in 2001. The company was tr...
Common Defective Drugs
April 28th, 2006
New Jersey legislators have agreed to consider a bill that would effectively phase-out children’s vaccines containing mercury by 2009.
Mercury is a toxic element sometimes used in vaccines. For the past several years, scientists have conduct...
Meridia
January 11th, 2004
There are 120 million overweight or obese Americans, and this rate continues to escalate. Weight problems increase risk of cancers, diabetes, and heart disease, and over the past five years the number of Americans diagnosed with diabetes has increased ...
May 21st, 2002
Public Citizen has already petitioned the FDA for the immediate removal of Meridia weight loss pill, and on May 21, 2002, the group said they had obtained a report of an FDA inspection of Abbott facilities in Abbott Park, Illinois. This recent FDA repo...
May 28th, 2002
Meridia (sibutramine) has been pulled from the market in Italy after being linked to two deaths and at least 28 other deaths around the world and is now under review by European regulators. Meridia has been on the U.S. market since 1998, but the FDA is...
November 17th, 2005
Meridia is just one of two weight-loss drugs currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but some experts have questioned the drug''s effectiveness. Although the formula of improved diet and exercise is a known way to achieve weight lo...
March 20th, 2002
After Public Citizen issued a petition to the FDA remove Meridia from the U.S. market, Abbott Laboratories, Meridia’s maker, issued a statement claiming the petition was based on incorrect conclusions. Abbott believes that Public Citizen has not c...
Ephedrine And Metabolife
October 6th, 2005
Two of three owners of the controversial San Diego company Metabolife have agreed to provide assistance and information about the company’s illegal practices and the practices of the third owner, Michael Ellis. The company pleaded guilty on charges of...
Gadolinium
October 1st, 2007
The Food and Drug Administration finalized on Friday its earlier action to strengthen the label on certain dyes used for magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI. The dyes will now carry a bold black box to warn of a potentially fatal side effect in some kid...
Naproxen (Aleve)
December 20th, 2004
The FDA says it is working with the National Institutes of Health to review available scientific information on naproxen, sold under the brand name Aleve by Bayer, after the decision to halt a clinical trial studying the effect of naproxen on patients...
Neurontin
March 11th, 2004
Pfizer''s Parke-Davis unit sells Neurontin, a large selling epilepsy drug. The company is currently facing a lawsuit over the marketing of Neurontin after a former employee has accused the company of giving doctors misleading information and kickbacks ...
June 1st, 2004
The world''s largest drug manufacturer, Pfizer, Inc., agreed to pay at least $400 million in order to settle civil charges regarding kickbacks to encourage doctors to prescribe the anti-epileptic drug Neurontin for other purposes.
The se...
April 21st, 2005
The FDA has requested 14 drugmakers to check their study data to see if use of epilepsy drugs results in suicidal behavior or thoughts, giving the drugmakers six months to respond.
Sales of anti-seizure drugs in the U.S. during 2004 were th...
May 20th, 2004
By ANNA WILDE MATHEWS
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Avandia
November 15th, 2007
At the urging of the Food and Drug Administration, GlaxoSmithKline is adding a new warning to its once-popular diabetes drug Avandia . An increased risk of heart attack will now appear ...
Common Defective Drugs
April 1st, 2008
The maker of NuvaRing is being sued by the widower of a 32-year-old woman who died after developing a fatal blood clot while using the popular contraceptive.
Untimely Death
Jackie Kelly...
Defective Drug Side Effects
May 11th, 2005
Off label uses of medication are uses and routes of taking a particular medication that have not been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. Since the 1960s the FDA has required that all prescription drugs sold in the United States be p...
April 18th, 2005
According to a study among smokers in Norway who took over-the-counter drugs like Advil, Motrin and Aleve for at least six months, they had twice the risk of dying of a heart attack, stroke or other heart-related problem.
The study was tr...
December 20th, 2006
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed tougher label warnings for common over-the-counter painkillers such as Tylenol or aspirin, that would address the risk for stomach ulcers and liver damage.
These warnings would apply to anti-i...
February 28th, 2007
Men who take the widely used over-the-counter painkillers that contain acetaminophen, aspirin or ibuprofen seem to be at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, a study found.
The drugs are the three most commonly used in the Unit...
Oxycontin
January 22nd, 2004
A federal grand jury indicted a Virginia doctor on 95 counts, including 14 counts of illegally dispensing medication leading to death or bodily harm and 64 counts of prescribing medication without reason. The doctor was accused of contributing to seven...
December 16th, 2004
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled a lawsuit accusing OxyContin manufacturer, Purdue Pharma, of irresponsibly marketing the drug cannot move forward as a class action. Those who filed OxyContin complaints alleged they became addicted to the drug and lost ...
May 17th, 2004
The drug company that makes the powerful pain killer OxyContin is developing a formula to prevent abusers from getting a high, but the development is not coming fast enough for many, including Pennsylvania Attorney General Jerry Pappert.
L...
January 28th, 2005
Purdue Pharma’s popular and controversial prescription drug OxyContin has avoided being named in a certification of a class action lawsuit claiming harm, including addiction.
OxyContin contains a very strong narcotic pain reliever similar t...
May 11th, 2007
The company that makes the pain relief drug OxyContin, Purdue Pharma LP, agreed Thursday to pay $600 million as a penalty for misleading and defrauding consumers and physicians about the addictive properties of its product. Another $34.5 million in pen...
Fentanyl Patch
July 10th, 2006
A Houston jury found Johnson & Johnson responsible for the death of a Texas woman who died after a patch containing pain-killing drugs leaked, delivering a lethal dose.
Michaelynn Thompson, 42, wore the Duragesic patch to manage pain from inju...
Defective Drug Side Effects
May 23rd, 2006
A recent study shows that patients who use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen and naproxen, face an increased risk of hospitalization for heart failure.
Dr. Consuelo H...
Palladone
July 15th, 2005
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asked Purdue Pharma to stop the sale and marketing of its potent new pain drug, Palladone, after just five months on the market. The decision was made after the agency acquired new information regarding the in...
Defective Drug Side Effects
October 21st, 2005
Pargluva, a new diabetes drug that seemed headed for Federal Drug Administration approval has been linked to serious side effects including death, heart attacks and strokes. The FDA has held off the drug''s approval, though only after recent studies sh...
January 5th, 2007
Two drugs prescribed to treat Parkinson''s disease and similar hormonal disorders may cause severe damage to heart valves, according to two studies published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
The drugs in questions are Permax (p...
Paxil
February 10th, 2005
According to new research, the herbal supplement St. John’s Wort is as effective in treating both moderate and severe depression as one of the most popular prescription antidepressants, Paxil.
Published in the online edition of the British ...
December 11th, 2006
Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline PLC is facing two new lawsuits that allege their popular antidepressant drug, Paxil, causes serious birth defects including heart abnormalities and deaths when used during pregnancy.
According to the lawsui...
January 4th, 2007
The manufacturer of the popular antidepressant Paxil is facing yet another lawsuit filed by a South Carolina couple who claim the drug directly caused their daughter to suffer a birth defect.
Product Liability Lawsuit
...
September 6th, 2004
GlaxoSmithKline''s biggest selling product used to be its antidepressant drug Paxil. Over the years, the safety of Paxil has been questioned, and Paxil was never FDA approved for patients younger than the age 18 because of studies showing it was not ef...
June 13th, 2007
Use of the anti-depressant drug Paxil during pregnancy has been linked to a very serious birth defect in infants - PPHN<...
November 18th, 2004
Two studies published in Archives of Disease in Childhood found the use of prescribed antidepressants and other drugs among children throughout the world are increasing. In all nine countries surveyed between 2000 and 2002, except Canada and Germany...
May 30th, 2004
The FDA recently issued a public health advisory warning certain antidepressants can cause sudden worsening of symptoms. The agency recommended manufacturers add new warnings to prescription inserts for antidepressants Prozac, Paxil, Read More...
March 27th, 2006
A class action lawsuit filed against Paxil manufacturer Glaxo SmithKline charges the drug company with fraud, negligence, strict liability, and breach of warranty and claims Glaxo SmithKline should be held liable for Paxil-induced suicides in youths ac...
May 12th, 2006
The FDA issued a statement today warning doctors of the increased risk of suicidal behavior in young adults taking the antidepressant Paxil.
The warning came after researchers at GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of Paxil, discovered a direct link...
December 1st, 2006
The popular antidepressant drug Paxil has been linked to fetal heart malformations and should be avoided during pregnancy if possible, warns an American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advisory group.
While a few previous studies ha...
October 30th, 2006
The parents of a two-year-old boy who was born with a serious, life-threatening birth defect allegedly caused by maternal use of the popular antidepressant Paxil, have filed a lawsuit against the drug manufacturer seeking compensation for their losses ...
Drug Company Information
June 9th, 2006
Two men filed personal injury lawsuits against Pfizer, alleging that the pharmaceutical giant concealed serious health risks associated with its popular cholesterol drug Lipitor.
The lawsuits accuse Pfizer of promoting Lipitor as a safe drug w...
December 28th, 2005
A pseudoephedrine lawsuit filed in Oklahoma is being closely watched around the country because it is the first of its kind.
The suit is being filed by the widow of an Oklahoma State Trooper who was killed by an illegal drug dealer and manufac...
Neurontin
June 7th, 2004
Just weeks after Pfizer and its Warner-Lambert Co. unit were penalized $430 million in federal and state courts for selling Neurontin for purposes that have not yet been FDA approved, the company is again under fire for fraudulent marketing practices. ...
Defective Drug Side Effects
December 20th, 2004
The little economic data or corporate news is expected to keep U.S. stocks held firm during the holiday week, excluding the pharmaceutical industry. On Friday, December 17, drugmaker shares were hit after several announcements were made.
P...
Common Defective Drugs
April 28th, 2006
Children under the age of two should not use Phenergan (Promethazine HCL) because of the potential for fatal respiratory problems, according to the FDA warning. Phenergan is an antihistamine used to control nausea and post-operative pain as well as to ...
Defective Drug Side Effects
November 7th, 2007
Recent research suggests that birth control pills may cause a potentially dangerous buildup of plaque in the arteries. Researchers presented their findings at a meeting of the American Heart Association on Tuesday.
The findings came as a shock ...
Plavix
November 8th, 2006
A patient who suffered serious injury after using the popular blood-thinner Plavix has filed the first lawsuit against the drug maker accusing the company of intentionally withholding vital safety information in the name of profit.
Dorothy Hal...
PPA
October 13th, 2004
In November 2000, the FDA asked companies using PPA (phenlypropanolamine) in their cold products to voluntarily take the products off the market because of possible health risks, including links with hemorrhagic stroke in first time female users. Now,...
Defective Drug Side Effects
August 7th, 2006
A new study indicates that daughters of women who took a popular pregnancy drug have two times the risk of developing breast cancer compared to other women their age.
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a synthetic oestrogen that was widely prescribed...
February 18th, 2005
A jury found Tuesday that the hormone replacement therapy drug, Prempro, manufactured by Wyeth, caused a woman's breast cancer, awarding her and her husband a $3 million verdict.
A previous jury also found Wyeth guilty in the same case, but th...
January 30th, 2007
A Philadelphia state jury found Monday that Prempro, Wyeth''s hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drug, caused an Arkansas woman''s breast cancer. The drug maker Wyeth will have to pay $1.5 million in compensatory damages, according to a court official. ...
Ritalin
October 24th, 2006
New research indicates that preschoolers taking Ritalin—a popular drug prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—are more prone to suffer side effects than children over six years of age.
While Ritalin pro...
Defective Drug Side Effects
December 30th, 2004
Vioxx and Celebrex were used for years and were so popular they both became blockbuster drugs. In recent months, a major turn of events has forced people to look at the drug industry and the drug agency overseeing it with a critical eye.
Mer...
Procrit
January 3rd, 2008
Anemia drugs known as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) may speed up cancer growth and lead to earlier death in some patients, the Food and Drug Administration announced today citing two new studies.
November Warning
...
Paxil
March 8th, 2005
Analysts are reassessing their earnings forecasts and are warning that at least $270 million of profits could be lost in the current financial year following the seizure of two major GlaxoSmithKline drugs by the FDA – diabetes treatment Avandamet an...
Defective Drug Side Effects
September 19th, 2006
A new study finds that hormone therapy drugs commonly used in men to treat prostate cancer may heighten the risk of diabetes and heart disease, indicating such therapy should be prescribed more prudently, researchers announced.
GnRH Dr...
Prozac
March 10th, 2006
A recent observational study found commonly used antidepressants like Prozac and Paxil may significantly increase the risk of death in patients with coronary artery disease.
Dr. Lana L. Watkins and her colleagues at Duke University evaluated s...
Drug Company Information
January 30th, 2006
The parents of a severely brain damaged and disabled teenager are suing doctors and pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly and PAR Pharmaceuticals Inc. for the Prozac related suicide attempt of their young daughter.
19-year-old Sa...
Prozac
March 14th, 2006
In one of the first lawsuits of its kind, parents David and Sheila McKay are suing an online pharmacy and physician for negligence and wrongful death after their 19-year-old son killed himself as a result of what they believed to be antidepressant drug...
October 16th, 2006
A new study involving juvenile and adult hamsters uncovered some clues as to why young children and teens may experience aggression and even suicidal thoughts when taking the popular antidepressant Prozac.
Researchers compared the behavior bet...
Defective Drug Side Effects
April 16th, 2007
An advisory panel of federal drug regulators rejected Merck & Co.'s application to sell its newest painkiller Arcoxia, citing serious concerns that the drug is linked to cardiovascular events including heart attacks and strokes.
Arcoxia is...
Remicade Lawsuit
May 22nd, 2006
The Food and Drug Administration approved the popular but controversial arthritis drug Remicade on Friday for use in children with Crohn''s disease. The approval comes just two days after a study linked the drug to an increased risk for malignancies an...
Rezulin
January 13th, 2004
In March 2000, Rezulin was abruptly recalled from the market. The FDA''s action surprised the doctors across the country that had been using the popular diabetes drug Rezulin. Frantically, doctors sifted through patient files in hopes of quickly locati...
March 11th, 2004
The Justice Department is investigating how Pfizer Inc., the world''s largest drug company, marketed its diabetes drug Rezulin. In Maryland, a federal grand jury wants testimony from former Warner-Lambert Co. employees regarding Rezulin. In 2000, Pfize...
April 15th, 2004
Pfizer, the world''s largest drugmaker, bought Warner-Lambert three months after the company issued a Rezulin recall in 2000. The Rezulin recall has resulted in lawsuits after allegations of liver damage leading to death, liver transplant, or damage. <...
July 23rd, 2004
An $11.55 million Rezulin lawsuit award has been upheld to a woman whose husband died after suffering liver failure. The man was hospitalized of liver failure in 1999, a month within being prescribed Rezulin, and died one week later. Rezulin, a diabete...
Neurontin
January 22nd, 2004
Pfizer''s profits are suffering, attributed to the $1.5 billion charge in personal injury claims from its diabetes drug Rezulin. The drug company is also under a government investigat...
Rezulin
July 3rd, 2004
A $60 million settlement in an Illinois class action lawsuit has been reached with Rezulin diabetes drug maker Pfizer Inc. The lawsuit, filed in 2002, alleged Rezulin caused liver problems in five percent of the people who used it, which contradicts ad...
Risperdal
July 23rd, 2004
Janssen Pharmaceutic Products, the makers of the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal, sent a letter to the health care community outlining the potential health risks associated with the medication.
This action is in compliance with the FDA''s re...
March 17th, 2004
According to new data, once an effective dose has been reached Zyprexa and Risperdal have been shown to have inferior results in terms of anti-aggressive effects compared to cl...
Defective Drug Side Effects
March 4th, 2005
A Republican lawmaker who has remained neutral for weeks, Sen. Michael B. Enzi, said Thursday that recent internal reforms by the Food and Drug Administration did not do enough to protect patients from drugs with potentially deadly side effects.
...September 20th, 2005
A recent study has shown that five new antipsychotic drugs used often in schizophrenics and other mentally ill patients have not been proven to be a more effective treatment than an older, less expensive drug. The study underlies criticism by consumer...
Fentanyl Patch
February 19th, 2008
Another fentanyl patch recall was issued on Monday over a defect that could cause the patches to leak. This is the second recall issued for the prescription patches in the p...
Meridia
July 30th, 2004
The August 2004 issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter discusses secondary hypertension, a less common high blood pressure that can occur and leave suddenly. People are surprised after years of following healthy diets, exercise and relaxation technique...
Serevent
July 13th, 2005
An FDA advisory committee unanimously recommended three asthma medications – Serevent, Advair and Foradil – remain on the market, but urged more research to determine whether the medications might worsen asthma in certain patients.
The pane...
Serzone
March 15th, 2004
Public Citizen has sued the FDA, calling the agency "grossly negligent" for failing to issue a Serzone ban despite having already been taken off the market in Canada and Europe, with sales to end in Australia and New Zealand in May. The consumer watchd...
May 20th, 2004
Drug manufacturer Bristol-Meyers announced Wednesday that it will no longer make or sell Serzone, an antidepressant that has been linked to potentially deadly liver complications and has already been withdrawn in major markets including Europe and Can...
Fen Phen
February 17th, 2005
Plaintiffs who decided to opt out of a class action lawsuit have been offered a comprehensive settlement offer from Wyeth for fen phen side effects.
Half of the diet drug combination fen phen, Redux and Pondimin were withdrawn in 1997...
May 30th, 2006 A federal judge approved a settlement that will cover more than 40,000 people who suffered injury from the controversial fen-phen diet pills that were pulled from the market in 1997.
This agreement, known as the seventh amendment to the Nationwide D...
Vioxx
December 20th, 2004
Following the Vioxx recall, Merck must now battle hundreds of lawsuits that may further threaten the company''s financial situation and reputation. Vioxx arthritis drug contributed $2.5 billion, or 11 percent, to Merck''s total annual revenues before a...
Common Defective Drugs
March 20th, 2008
The Food and Drug Administration said this week that it was conducting a safety review of Spiriva, a respiratory drug administered by way of an inhaler, after studies linked it to a slightly higher risk of stroke.
Spiriva is used to treat chro...
Defective Drug Side Effects
July 10th, 2008
The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen is seeking heightened warnings on Botox and a similar injectable over the risk of death and serious injury caused by spread of the drugs to vital organs.
According to ...
Bextra
April 6th, 2007
Bextra , the popular cox-2 inhibitor recalled by Pfizer, is the subject of another lawsuit.
Rita Fohne has filed her lawsuit against Pfizer in Madison County, Illinois, seeking ...
Vioxx
December 1st, 2004
After Vioxx was recalled September 30, New York city and state cops, firefighters and teachers lost a combined $287 million from their retirement funds. State Controller Alan Hevesi is now suing Vioxx maker Merck & Co. and seeking lead plaintiff status...
Defective Drug Side Effects
March 2nd, 2006
Tequin, one of the most widely prescribed antibiotics used to treat pneumonia and other infections, is believed to lead to serious blood-sugar complications in users.
Studies released yesterday by the New England Journal of Medicine concluded ...
Tequin
May 2nd, 2006
Bristol-Myers Squibb announced its plans yesterday to take the antibiotic Tequin off the market.
Tequin, an antibiotic prescribed for chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, pneumonia, urinary tract and other infections, has been associated with serio...
October 5th, 2004
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is approved to relieve hot flashes, night
sweats and other menopausal symptoms. In addition to the risk of heart
attacks, stroke and breast cancer, women receiving combination HRT are at
...
Thimerosal
January 21st, 2004
A survey published this month in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that an increasing number of American parents are beginning to question the need for vaccines for their children, as well as the need to follow the recommended schedule ...
Defective Drug Side Effects
January 26th, 2006
A drug commonly administered during heart surgery to control bleeding is now causing reason for serious concern among patients and medical professionals. Trasylol (aprotinin), which was approved for use by the FDA in 1993, has shown to substantially in...
Trasylol Aprotinin Injection
February 7th, 2007
A new study reports that Trasylol, a drug used in open-heart surgery to prevent bleeding, increases the patient''s long-term risk of death by almost 50 percent.
If Trasylol use is halted, an estimated 10,000 deaths around the world could be pr...