Pharmaceutical Litigation

Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida

When the medicine you take has been recommended by your doctor, you expect it will benefit your health in some way. Patients trust that their physicians will know what will make them feel better, and prescribe the correct dosage. This is based on what is known from the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the drug, as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that gave approval. Unfortunately, this trust, not only between patient and physician, but between physician and pharmaceutical company, can wind up causing injuries and death to those who take the medicine.

The pharmaceutical industry is powerful. Though they manufacture drugs that may help patients, they are also concerned about the bottom line. As a result, some drugs make it through the pipeline before testing has been completed, or with side effects and health risks minimized or ignored. Drugs that have been aggressively marketed in this way are often the center of recalls, but for some patients, these recalls come too late. Dangerous health issues such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney and liver damage, diabetes, and even suicide may be the result of taking a defective pharmaceutical. Recent FDA recalls, or black box warnings – the strongest warning given before a recall is put into effect – have affected many drugs for many different conditions.

Heparin

Heparin is an anticoagulant given to millions of patients each year during cardiac surgery or kidney dialysis. In late 2007, Baxter International was forced to recall heparin due to tampering of the ingredients from China. However, hundreds patients suffered severe allergic reactions and many died. Side effects include:

• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Rapid heart rate
• Low blood pressure
• Death

Cipro and Levaquin

Cipro and Levaquin are antibiotics that are part of a class of antibacterials called flouroquinolones. They are given to patients following certain transplants, urinary tract infections, and respiratory infections. They became household names just after the anthrax attacks in the autumn of 2001 for their effectiveness in fighting this biologic agent. These drugs were deemed so effective, that the government began stockpiling them in case of another anthrax attack. Since then, the FDA has issued a black box warning due to their concerns that these pharmaceuticals are the cause of spontaneous tendon ruptures. Since the end of 2007, hundreds of tendon ruptures have been reported.

Digitek

Digitek, also known as digoxin, was recalled due to a double dose of the active ingredient, digitalis, present in the tablets. The ingredient comes from the foxglove plant (digitalis purpurea), and all parts of the plant can be poisonous when ingested. Patients with impaired kidney function or in renal failure are particularly susceptible. Digitek treats heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. Digitalis toxicity leads to low blood pressure, heart palpitations, and even death.

Though these are only a few of the examples of the most egregious and timely defective pharmaceuticals, there are many more that can cause serious and irreparable harm, or even be lethal.

If you or a loved one has been injured or sickened by taking something meant to help, please contact the experienced pharmaceutical litigation attorneys at Taylor Martino. We serve the Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida area.

This Pharmaceutical Liability Information Center is intended to provide general information only. It is not specific to your case. For answers to your questions about your own situation, contact a dangerous drug lawyer at Taylor ◊ Martino.