A variety of pharmaceutical products, including over-the-counter drugs and prescription medications, have contributed to a multi-trillion dollar healthcare industry. While the healthcare industry has utilized advancements in medical science to help Americans live longer, healthier and happier lives, it is difficult to deny the fact that pharmaceutical companies are corporations motivated by money. As such, they market their products aggressively, bombard patients and consumers with numerous advertisements and conduct their business, some may argue, with the ultimate motivation to increase their bottom line.
As a natural result of this competitive marketplace, defective drugs and unsafe medications are sometimes negligently made available to the public without adequate testing or warnings, often with devastating consequences. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or illness as the result of taking a prescription medication or over-the-counter drug, there are laws in place that can allow you to pursue legal actions against negligent drug manufacturers. Our team of California defective drug lawyers is well versed in applying their experience and extensive knowledge of product liability law to hold these powerful corporations responsible for the damages they caused consumers and patients.
Litigating pharmaceutical liability claims is a highly difficult and complicated process, which very few attorneys are familiar with. Our California defective drug attorneys have decades of experience litigating complex pharmaceutical cases all over the nation. For more than 20 years, Tom Moore, the head of the firm’s drug liability practice, was a prominent and nationally recognized trial attorney for many of the nations largest healthcare companies, including GlaxoSmithKline and Bristol Meyers Squibb. Tom was appointed by California courts to help coordinate and resolve thousands of drug and medical device cases, and been invited to speak and publish on numerous topics concerning the liability of drug and medical device manufacturers.
Types of Medications That Are Defective
Our firm offers free and confidential case evaluations to victims and families who may find themselves in this position, and we work without rest until we secure the most favorable results possible and the monetary compensation you need and deserve. We represent victims who have experienced any of the following situations or who have been injured by these medications:
Acetaminophen Liver Damage
Found in over-the-counter drugs, prescription medications and medicine cabinets throughout America, acetaminophen is one of the most widely used drugs. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most dangerous, and is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the Western world.
Actos Bladder Cancer
A medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, Actos has been linked to a number of serious medical complications, including bladder cancer. The devastating effects of this unsafe medication make fair compensation a necessity.
Allergic Reactions to Drugs
Adverse drug events can come in the form of non-allergic and allergic reactions. From mild drug allergies to serious and life-threatening allergic reactions, it is essential that injured victims explore their opportunities for legal recourse.
AndroGel and other Testosterone Replacement Drugs
Drugs intended to increase the levels of testosterone in men who purportedly have low amounts are being increasingly prescribed, even when there is little evidence to support their benefit in men who don’t have diagnosed medical conditions such as hypogonadism. As more men are exposed to products such as Androgel, evidence has started to mount associating testosterone and heart attacks, strokes and blood clots.
Anti-Depressant Birth Defects
The use of anti-depressants in America has exploded in the past several years. Widespread usage and satisfaction does not mask the adverse and devastating effects anti-depressants, including SSRIs, can pose to women who take these medications while pregnant.
Birth Control Pill Blood Clots
Oral contraceptives marketed under a variety of brand names, including Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella, have been linked to increased risks in developing blood clots. Women who have been injured as the result of a blood clot may be eligible to receive compensation.
Botox
Used to treat certain medical conditions and an extremely popular cosmetic product, Botox® poses serious health risks and hazards. In some cases, adverse reactions to this medical product can be fatal.
Bydureon
Bydureon is an extended release exenatide medication used to treat patients with type-2 diabetes. Bydureon has been associated with an increased incidence of thyroid cancer and has also been linked to pancreatic cancer.
Byetta Pancreatic Cancer
Byetta is a prescription medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. While effective in managing glucose levels, Byetta poses significant health consequences, including kidney failure, pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.
GranuFlo
A medical product used in dialysis treatment, GranuFlo has been shown to increase a patient’s risk of experiencing serious injuries and illnesses, including cardiopulmonary arrest and heart attacks, among others.
Iclusig
The leukemia chemotherapy drug Iclusig (ponatinib) has been connected with instances of heart failure, stroke, tissue death, and more.
Janumet
Janumet is a newer type-2 diabetes medication belonging to the incretin mimetics drug class. In response to increasing reports and adverse health effects and various medical studies, the FDA has begun investigating the links between Janumet and dangerous conditions such as pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.
Januvia Pancreatic Cancer
An oral medication effective in regulating blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes patients, Januvia has also been the subject of numerous medical studies. In results published by UCLA researches, Januvia was discovered to increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
Lexapro
A popular and effective anti-depressant, Lexapro is also prescribed to treat patients with anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, Lexapro poses various adverse side effects, most notably an elevated risk of birth defects.
Merina Intrauterine Birth Control Device Perforation
The Mirena IUD is an increasingly popular birth control device that is implanted by a physician. Unfortunately, the device has been associated with perforation of the uterus and migration to other organs where it may cause numerous problems, sometime requiring surgical intervention.
Drug-Induced Liver failure
The liver is the organ responsible for detoxifying, filtering and processing everything that enters the human body. Medications and drugs can compromise the liver and can create extensive damage, including acute liver failure.
Nesina
A type-2 diabetes medication of the incretin mimetics drug class, Nesina has been linked to an increased risk of developing pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and thyroid cancer.
Onglyza
Onglyza is a type-2 diabetes medication that belongs to a drug class known as incretin mimetics. As recently as March 2013, the U.S. FDA issued a Drug Safety Communication stating that they would be investigating the use of Onglyza and increased risks of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.
OsmoPrep
An over-the-counter product given to patients in preparation for colonoscopies and other gastroenterological procedures, OsmoPrep has been linked to numerous reports of serious kidney injuries.
Pradaxa
A blood thinning medication used to reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks, Pradaxa has been known to cause excessive bleeding and serious bleeding episodes. As a result, the medication has been linked to numerous deaths reported in the United States.
Propecia
Propecia is a widely known synthetic drug used to treat male pattern baldness. The list of adverse effects associated with the drug is extensive, but the most serious and frequent hazard is potentially permanent loss of sexual function.
Tradjenta
Tradjenta, a new type-2 diabetes medication, belongs to a drug class known as incretin mimetics. Incretin mimetics have been linked to increased risks for developing pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and thyroid cancer.
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis are two related and potentially life-threatening allergic skin reactions that can be caused by prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs. Drug manufacturers are obligated to warn consumers about risks of these conditions when they know – or should know – of such risks.
Victoza
Victoza is a type-2 diabetes medication that has come under increasing scrutiny for its potential to increase risks of pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, and renal failure. The FDA has also required Victoza’s manufacturer to place warning labels on the drug.
Get In Touch with A California Defective Drug Attorney Today
We understand how deeply these injuries and illnesses can impact the lives of victims. Fortunately, victims can be confident about placing their trust in our legal team, as we have consistently proven that we are capable of holding large corporations accountable for their actions. In fact, our firm has secured a $4.2 million settlement in what is believed to be one of the largest personal injury settlements to date involving the dietary supplement industry.
Pharmaceutical companies that fail to uphold their duty and legal obligation to public consumers can be held legally responsible for any damages their products caused, and our legal team fights vigorously to ensure that they are. If you would like to discuss the particularities of your situation, contact a California defective drug lawyer today.