Illinois Injury Lawyer Blog

It’s tough enough for individuals suffering acne to suffer the effects of the common skin disease, so when a company’s dangerous acne medication adds insult to injury – or, rather, injury to injury – the consequences are even more exasperating.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers were pleased to hear that justice was served in a recent case against the makers of the drug Accutane, which caused gastrointestinal damage to a woman who used the product in the hopes of getting rid of her skin affliction.

Accutane, a medication used primarily to treat cystic acne, was produced by F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Though Accutane and its active ingredient, isotretinoin, were approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1982, it was pulled from the market in 2009 after juries awarded millions of dollars in damages to former Accutane users over inflammatory bowel disease claims. Other side-effects of Accutane have reportedly included birth defects, major depressive disorder, advanced bone age and stunted growth, as well as suicidal ideations.

In this particular case, the woman took the drug as prescribed and developed serious complications, including ulcerative colitis and lupus-like symptoms, and subsequently permanently lost nighttime bowel control, court records show.

A Chicago personal injury attorney will attest that Illinois products liability law dictates that when corporations manufacture a product, especially in cases of pharmaceutical production, they have a responsibility to test that product to ensure its safety and effectiveness before the product is put on the market and sold to consumers. This is especially true for companies that produce medicine, and whose products must undergo extensive testing before they are distributed to consumers. When a company makes a product that is flawed and that product harms the person using the product, the company may be held legally responsible for the customer’s injuries.

A failure to warn – the type of products liability negligence giving rise to this lawsuit – occurs when a company markets a product that they know to be potentially hazardous, and fails to warn consumers of the latent danger. Here, the jury deciding this case found that Hoffmann-La Roche, the pharmaceutical conglomerate, did not provide adequate warning of the risks associated with taking the drug, which led to the woman developing ulcerative colitis from using the product.

This specific case is the eighth major lawsuit against Hoffmann-La Roche asserting that use of their product lead to serious intestinal complications; in all eight cases, juries have sided with the victims, and have issued verdicts against Hoffmann-La Roche totaling $47 million in damages. Hoffmann-La Roche is currently facing more than 3000 additional lawsuits related to the use of Accutane and its effect on colorectal health.

If you or a loved on have used Accutane and have suffered injury as a result of the negative side effects, talk to your doctor immediately, and contact an attorney to learn whether you are entitled to compensation under the law.

It’s an especially difficult time to be a patient suffering from cardiac-related ailments.

According to separate reports by MSNBC and the New York Times, respectively, problems have arisen with devices intended to treat heart problems: implanted defibrillators and automated extrinsic defibrillators have each, individually, had problems that could potentially cause death to patients who rely on their use for survival.

A defibrillator is a device that is intended to emit a potentially life-saving electrical jolt to interrupt a failing heartbeat and restore the heart to normal cadence.

As it relates to these situations, Illinois product liability law is an area of personal injury law that focuses on dangerous and defective products; it is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and others who manufacture and disseminate goods to the public are held responsible for the injuries caused by those products. "Products" in this instance covers a wide range of categories, including medical devices such as the defibrillators and defibrillator parts in question.

There are three main types of Illinois product liability claims:
1. A manufacturing defect, which generally occurs when an otherwise safe product is assembled carelessly;
2. A design defect, which occurs when, no matter how well the product is put together, its intent or layout is inherently dangerous;

3. A failure to warn, which can occur when a product markets a product that they know to be potentially hazardous, and fails to warn consumers of the latent danger.

In each particular situation, a different type of liability is involved.

The New York Times reports that St. Jude Medical, a company responsible for manufacturing defibrillator implants, has become aware of several situations in which problems have arisen where the cable or lead connecting the defibrillator to the heart has failed and the electrical wires inside it have worked their way out through the lead's coating. In fact, a study conducted last summer showed that wires were protruding out of their casing in 15 percent of the devices produces by St. Jude. When that happens, the potential arises for a short circuit when the device fires what otherwise should be a life-saving jolt. This would constitute a manufacturing defect, because the device is put together in a way that ultimately fails and has the potential to cause serious harm to the consumer.

The second situation involves external defibrillators purchased by hospitals around the country in order to save the lives of patients who go into sudden cardiac arrest.

According to the report by MSNBC, the newest generation of defibrillating gear (automated, as opposed to human-powered) now found in nearly all U.S. hospitals, saves fewer lives than the old, lower-tech defibrillators. In fact, estimates show that the use of automated equipment means that close to 1,000 more hospital cardiac-arrest patients die every year in the U.S. than when the older equipment was used.

This is one case in which new technology does not provide improvements in healthcare, and provides a clear representation of Illinois product liability cases involving design defect because, no matter how well the device is put together, it is inherently hazardous as compared to the other available options.

Our Chicago personal injury attorneys understand the dangers associated with defective medical devices. In fact, our attorneys brought a case against Orion Research Inc. and Baxter Health Care Corporation for a flawed test for the genetic disease cystic fibrosis. The failures of the test led a set of parents to have second child born with cystic-fibrosis. In addition to winning a substantial settlement for the family, our attorneys and the family were more concerned with the discontinuation of the test. As a result of our efforts, the test was eliminated.

If you or a loved on have suffered injury as a result of the a defective medical device, contact an attorney to learn whether you are entitled to compensation under the law.

Quite literally, it’s a deadly mistake.

Opioid pain medications such as morphine have life-threatening consequences if overdosed; according to a report issued earlier this month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Hospira, a global pharmaceutical and medical device company, is recalling a lot of a morphine sulfate injection because the pre-packaged shot contains more of the drug than the intended labeled volume.

Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication, which, when administered properly by healthcare professionals acts expediently to relieve severe pain and suffering. Like other opioids, morphine directly affects the central nervous system to relieve pain; though this makes it an effective drug, it also makes it extremely dangerous.

An overdose of morphine has the potential to cause asphyxia and ultimately death, if a person does not receive immediate medical attention. Although the accidental increased amount in the recalled vials is not enough to otherwise be considered a lethal dose, there have been known cases of morphine hypersensitivity in which significantly smaller overages of the drug have caused sudden death.

Illinois product liability law is an area of personal injury law that focuses on dangerous and defective products; it is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and others who manufacture and disseminate goods to the public are held responsible for the injuries caused by those products. "Products" in this instance covers a wide range of categories, including medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

As it pertains to this case, Illinois products liability law dictates that when corporations manufacture a product, especially in cases of pharmaceutical production, those companies have a responsibility to ensure the product’s safety before the product is put on the market and sold to consumers. This is especially true for companies that produce medicine, and whose products must undergo extensive testing before they are distributed to consumers. When a company makes a product that is flawed and that product harms the person using the product, the company may be held legally responsible for the customer’s injuries.

In this particular instance, Hospira had a duty to ensure that their drugs were packaged properly and contained the proper dosage amount. If a consumer suffers as a result of a morphine overdose, Hospira may be made to pay a wide variety of damages, including such things as medical and hospital expenses, and potentially even damages resulting from wrongful death.

Hospira is the world’s largest producer of generic injectable pharmaceuticals – such as the recalled product in this case – and is headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois. Hospira reported worldwide sales for 2011 as just over $4.1 billion, and products manufactured by Hospira are used in clinics and hospitals around the world. The affected lot of morphine injections was distributed earlier this year to a number of hospitals in several states, including Illinois.

Illinois personal injury cases that arise as result of dangerous or defective pharmaceuticals have the potential to be severe and life-altering. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers represent victims across Illinois in matters against companies that have sold or manufactured unsafe products to consumers. In fact, our attorneys brought a case against Orion Research Inc. and Baxter Health Care Corporation for a flawed test for the genetic disease cystic fibrosis. The failures of the test led a set of parents to have a second cystic child. While recovering a substantial settlement for the family, the firm and the family were more concerned with the discontinuation of the test. As a result of our efforts, the test was eliminated.

If you or a loved one have experienced problems that may be related to using Hospira’s morphine injection, seek medical attention immediately. In addition, an attorney may be able to apprise you of your rights under the law.

Last week, one of the largest verdicts in history was handed down by a jury, finding against pharmaceutical conglomerate Johnson & Johnson to the tune of $1.2 billion in liability.

A recent article by Bloomberg Businessweek details the billion-dollar lawsuit that arose after the corporation lied to doctors about a prescription medication produced by one of its subsidiary companies.

The pharmaceutical in question, Risperdal, is an antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia, manic states associated with bipolar disorder, and irritability in persons with autism. Nevertheless, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. – a division of Johnson & Johnson – neglected to tell physicians of the risks associated with the drug, even downplaying side effects in some instances, reports Bloomberg Businessweek.

Johnson & Johnson is an American pharmaceutical and cosmetic manufacturer that disseminates packaged goods sold in more than 175 countries. The corporation is the largest healthcare company in the world, and has approximately 250 subsidiary companies, which include numerous household-known brand names of medications, first-aid supplies, toiletries, and beauty products.

When corporations manufacture a product, they have the responsibility for testing that product to ensure its safety before the product is put on the market and sold to consumers. This is especially true for pharmaceutical companies whose products must undergo extensive testing before they are distributed to consumers. When a company makes a product that is defective or dangerous and that product harms the person using that product, the company may be held legally responsible for the customer’s injuries. This type of situation would give rise to an Illinois product liability lawsuit.

One particular type of product liability is what’s known as a failure to warn, which can occur when a company markets a product that they know to be potentially hazardous, and fails to warn consumers of the latent danger. That’s exactly what happened here. Bloomberg Businessweek reports that attorneys on behalf of the plaintiffs contend that the company lied to doctors by saying the drug didn't cause weight gain, diabetes and other adverse side effects. Additionally, recent testing for the medication has shown that Risperdol and other antipsychotics also increase the risk of death in patients with dementia.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers understand the dangers associated with defective medications. In fact, our attorneys brought a case against Orion Research Inc. and Baxter Health Care Corporation for a flawed test for the genetic disease cystic fibrosis. The failures of the test led a set of parents to have second child born with cystic-fibrosis. In addition to winning a substantial settlement for the family, our attorneys and the family were more concerned with the discontinuation of the test. As a result of our efforts, the test was eliminated.

If you or a loved on have taken Risperdol and have suffered injury as a result of the negative side effects, talk to your doctor about finding an alternative medication, and contact an attorney to learn whether you are entitled to compensation under the law.

It’s not something we generally think about; when we as consumers head to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription medication, we assume that the product we purchase is not only what we expect it to be, but also is reasonably safe. But that’s not always what happens, according to a recent report by MSNBC, detailing the fact that counterfeit versions of the popular cancer drug Avastin were distributed to customers.

A Chicago personal injury attorney will attest that Illinois products liability law dictates that when corporations manufacture a product, especially in cases of pharmaceutical production, they have a responsibility to test that product to ensure its safety and effectiveness before the product is put on the market and sold to consumers. This is especially true for companies that produce medicine, and whose products must undergo extensive testing before they are distributed to consumers. When a company makes a product that is flawed and that product harms the person using the product, the company may be held legally responsible for the customer’s injuries. Nevertheless, the imitation Avastin doses contain a variety of chemicals, but not the active ingredient found in the genuine drug.

Avastin – the genuine variety – is a drug produced by Hoffmann-La Roche AG, an international drug-manufacturing conglomerate that is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Hoffmann-La Roche sells Avastin in 120 countries and manufactures and packages the drug at eight sites worldwide. Avastin works to block the growth of new blood vessels, and is commonly used to treat various types of cancers, including lung-, breast-, and kidney-cancer. It was originally approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat certain metastatic cancers, and though its approval was revoked in November of 2011, doctors are still allowed to prescribe it.

The Food and Drug Administration is investigating the source of counterfeit Avastin imported and distributed by a U.S. wholesaler to doctors here, but according to MSNBC, an analysis of the contents of the fake Avastin vials showed traces of 10 substances, ranging from starch and salt to solvent chemicals like acetone, which is used in paint thinner and otherwise has no medical or pharmaceutical use. But none of the active ingredient used to treat cancer was in the vials.

More specifically, Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Avastin’s manufacturer, said in a publically-released statement that none of the imitation products includes the active ingredient found in Avastin, a protein-based drug infused at hospitals and doctors' offices, and that "the counterfeit product is not safe or effective and should not be used."

When the US Food and Drug Administration’s investigation reveals the company responsible for importing and disseminating the counterfeit drug, that company may be held responsible for the harm it has caused by distributing the fake drugs to consumers.

Illinois product liability law is an area of personal injury law that focuses on dangerous and defective products; it is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and others who manufacture and disseminate goods to the public are held responsible for the injuries caused by those products. "Products" in this instance covers a wide range of categories, including medical devices and pharmaceuticals. As it pertains to this case, the distributer of the counterfeit drugs would be liable for damages caused by those injuries.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers represent victims across Illinois in matters against companies that have sold or manufactured unsafe products to consumers. In fact, our attorneys brought a case against Orion Research Inc. and Baxter Health Care Corporation for a flawed test for the genetic disease cystic fibrosis. The failures of the test led a set of parents to have a second cystic child. While recovering a substantial settlement for the family, the firm and the family were more concerned with the discontinuation of the test. As a result of our efforts, the test was eliminated.

If you've had an incident with a product that caused an injury, or are the survivor of someone who may have died from the use or exposure to a dangerous or defective product, contact an attorney to better understand your rights under the law. You may be entitled to compensation for your suffering.

It almost sounds like fodder for a children’s song, but there’s nothing funny about the cause underlying the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s most recent pharmaceutical recall: bugs in drugs.

Our Illinois personal injury attorneys were concerned to read an article published by MSNBC, detailing the fact that the FDA has very recently posted a warning letter to Schaumberg, Illinois-based APP Pharmaceuticals LLC., citing violations at one of the corporation’s plants, including insects found in what were supposed to be clean rooms, as well as in vials of distributed drugs, and failures to report defects such as vials contaminated with foreign matter and glass.

Abraxis Pharmaceutical Products, or APP Pharmaceuticals, is major, international pharmaceutical conglomerate centered in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Prior to this series of defilements, APP Pharmaceuticals has most recently been in the news because federal health officials have allowed the firm to ramp up production of scarce medications to treat childhood leukemia, following a nationwide shortage. Fortunately the children’s cancer medications are not produced at the same plant in which insects were found in vials of sterile drugs, but the company is liable nonetheless.

“You continued to find insects in your manufacturing area, in finished product (two vials), and you received a complaint for an insect in a distributed vial,” said the letter sent by Ronald M. Pace, director of the FDA’s district in which the violations occurred.

According to a report published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this year, particulate matter or other foreign objects in medications – such as the bugs in the drugs in this particular case – can be extremely harmful when introduced into the body. Potential adverse effects may include such things as internal irritation and inflammation, tissue death, and in more serious cases, anaphylactic shock, and death. The potential for hazard is enormous.

Illinois product liability law is an area of personal injury law that focuses on dangerous and defective products; manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and others who manufacture and disseminate goods to the public are held responsible for the injuries caused by those products. "Products" in this instance covers a wide range of categories, including medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

When corporations manufacture a product, they have the responsibility to ensure the safety of that product before the merchandise is put on the market and sold to consumers. This is especially true for pharmaceutical companies whose products must undergo extensive testing before they are distributed to consumers. When a company makes a product that is defective or dangerous – or, as in this situation, contains dangerous inclusions – and that product harms the person using that product, the company may be held legally responsible for the customer’s injuries.

As it applies in this case, if it is found that the use of APP Pharmaceuticals’ medications has led to sickness in consumers because of the insects in the sterile drugs, APP Pharmaceuticals may be liable for damages from the product’s hazardous effects, and may be made to pay compensation for medical and hospital bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering caused by the illness.

At this point, APP Pharmaceuticals has 15 days from the date of the FDA letter to respond to the problems, including how insects came to be found in an aseptic, or sterile room, used to produce crucial drugs, reported MSNBC. If you or a loved one have suffered as a result of using an unsafe product, contact an attorney to be apprised of your rights under the law.

Recently, our Chicago personal injury attorneys expressed concern over a recall of contraceptive pharmaceuticals that were pulled from the market because mistakes in packaging could potentially lead to unwanted pregnancies.

According to the Associated Press this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is busy again with yet another recall of birth control pills. According to the report, Glenmark Generics is working with the FDA to recall seven lots of birth control drugs, nationwide. Said the FDA, because of a packaging error, some of the pills were placed in the wrong order within the packs.

The packages of pills contain three types of tablets, each variety with a different level of hormones, intended to be taken at different times during a woman’s menstrual cycle. Instead, according to the FDA’s statement the pills were rotated 180 degrees within the pack, so the weekly tablet orientation is reversed, and the lot number and expiration date are visible only on the outer pouch. As a result, the order of the pills may be incorrect, leaving women without adequate contraceptive protection and at risk for unwanted pregnancy.

The Associated Press reported that the error was discovered when a consumer complained she received a pack in which the tablets were packaged in reverse order. In the affected pill packages, the pills should be arranged so that the top row contains seven white to off-white tablets, and the bottom row contains seven inactive, light green tablets.

Glenmark Generics Inc., the company responsible for manufacturing the drugs is the North American division of Glenmark Generics Ltd., and is dedicated to the manufacture, marketing and distribution of generic pharmaceutical products. Currently Glenmark Generics, Inc. is authorized to distribute approximately 55 generic forms of brand-name pharmaceuticals.

Under Illinois law, Chicago personal injury lawsuits arise when manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and others who manufacture and disseminate goods to the public are held responsible for the injuries caused by those products. "Products" in this instance covers a wide range of categories, including medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

As it pertains to this case, Illinois products liability law dictates that when corporations manufacture a product, especially in cases of pharmaceutical production, they have a responsibility to test that product to ensure its safety and effectiveness before the product is put on the market and sold to consumers. This is especially true for companies that produce medicine, and whose products must undergo extensive testing before they are distributed to consumers. When a company makes a product that is flawed and that product harms the person using the product, the company may be held legally responsible for the customer’s injuries.

In this particular case, Glenmark Generics had a duty to ensure that their drugs were packaged properly. If a consumer has an unwanted pregnancy, Glenmark Generics may made to pay a wide variety of damages, including such things as medical and hospital expenses, and potentially even damages resulting from the infliction of emotional distress.

The affected pills are labeled "norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol tablets,” and any pack for which the lot number and expiry date is not visible is subject to recall. If you or a loved one has taken these contraceptives and experienced an unwanted pregnancy, contact an attorney to understand your rights under the law.

Pfizer, the American multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, and the maker of many popular drugs such as Lipitor and Viagra, seems to be having a tough time lately.

Following a recall last month of contraceptive medications due to improper packaging that had the potential to lead to unwanted pregnancies, Pfizer is now undergoing yet another retraction – this time for expired drugs.

According to a recent report by MSNBC, the corporation is recalling its Prevnar pneumonia vaccine because it was filled with expired material. The vaccination is intended to prevent meningitis, pneumonia, and and other diseases caused by pneumococcus bacteria, and was recently approved for use in adults 50 and older.

Pneumonia is an inflammatory infection of the lungs. Typical symptoms include cough, chest-pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. Although pneumonia was considered all but a death sentence in the 19th century, modern medicine including antibiotic therapy and vaccines have led to an enormous increase in the survival rate of people infected with pneumonia. In fact, he FDA has said about 300,000 older adults in the United States are hospitalized each year for pneumonia. But the drugs may not work if they’re past their expiration date.

Pfizer is the world’s largest drugmaker, and this vaccine is poised to become one of Pfizer's biggest brands, reported MSNBC. Although no injuries have yet been reported as a result of the mistake, if an individual is harmed by the failure of the vaccine to work properly – or by unconfirmed side-effects caused by expired medication – Pfizer may be made to answer to an Illinois products liability lawsuit.

In cases in which Illinois product liability lawsuits arise, the claims most commonly asserted are negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty, and various other consumer protection claims. This particular situation involves strict liability. Under strict liability, the manufacturer of the product is liable for injuries caused if the product harms consumers, even if the manufacturer was not directly negligent in making that product defective.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers represent victims across Illinois in matters against companies that have sold or manufactured unsafe products to consumers. In fact, our attorneys brought a case against Orion Research Inc. and Baxter Health Care Corporation for a flawed test for the genetic disease cystic fibrosis. The failures of the test led a set of parents to have a second cystic child. While recovering a substantial settlement for the family, the firm and the family were more concerned with the discontinuation of the test. As a result of our efforts, the test was eliminated.

If you've had an incident in which a pharmaceutical product caused an injury, or are the survivor of someone who may have died from the use or exposure to a dangerous or defective product, contact an attorney to better understand your rights under the law. You may be entitled to compensation for your suffering.

Pfizer, Inc., an American multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, and the maker of many popular drugs such as Lipitor and Viagra, had better hope that the latter of those inventions doesn’t exacerbate the already enormous concern caused by their latest product recall.

According to a recent report by MSNBC, Pfizer is recalling more than 1 million packets of birth control pills because of a packaging error; apparently a number of the 28-count blister packs contain an incorrect amount of inactive or active ingredient tablets and the tablets might be in the wrong order. Because the contraceptive pills can’t be taken as intended – despite no fault on the part of the consumer – the risk of unwanted pregnancies is increased. As a result, Pfizer could be made to answer to Illinois personal injury lawsuits resulting from the error.

The pills affected, Lo/Ovral-28 is intended to be taken each day; they contain Levonorgestrel, a second-generation synthetic progestogen that is a common active ingredient in hormonal birth controls and emergency contraceptive pills. The active-ingredient pills, taken for the first three weeks, are white-ish in color, while the inactive pills, taken for the last week to help women keep track of when they should begin their next pack of pills, are pinkish.

Nevertheless, Pfizer found that some packages of the drugs had too many active pills, while other packages had too few. A spokeswoman for Pfizer stated in conjunction with the recall-notice that the mistake was caused by failures with both mechanical and visual inspection. It appears that the issues have since been resolved.

The risk of pregnancy increases based on the number of active-ingredient pills missed: if a patient takes the inactive pills instead of the active pills, the potential for unwanted pregnancy can likewise be amplified.

Illinois product liability law is an area of personal injury law that focuses on dangerous and defective products; it is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and others who manufacture and disseminate goods to the public are held responsible for the injuries caused by those products. "Products" in this instance covers a wide range of categories, including medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

In fact, and as it pertains to this case, Illinois products liability law dictates that when corporations manufacture a product, especially in cases of pharmaceutical production, they have a responsibility to test that product to ensure its safety and effectiveness before the product is put on the market and sold to consumers. This is especially true for companies that produce medicine, and whose products must undergo extensive testing before they are distributed to consumers. When a company makes a product that is flawed and that product harms the person using the product, the company may be held legally responsible for the customer’s injuries.

In this particular case, Pfizer had a duty to ensure that their drugs were packaged properly. If a consumer has an unwanted pregnancy, Pfizer may made to pay a wide variety of damages, including such things as medical and hospital expenses, and potentially even damages resulting from the infliction of emotional distress.

According to MSNBC, U.S. pharmacists filled 38.9 million birth control prescriptions in the first six months of last year.;A total of 78.6 million prescriptions were filled in 2010. Fortunately the particular pill type in question is one of the less popular form of birth control so fewer patients are affected. Nevertheless, the injuries resulting from this mistake have the potential to be devastating or life altering. If you or a loved one has been affected by the recall of Lo/Ovral-28, contact an attorney to better understand your rights under the law.

It sounds like something out of a horror movie, but it’s actually the subject of the FDA’s latest recall.

Bedford Laboratories, a pharmaceutical- and medical device-manufacturing corporation has just recalled two vaccines after it was found that vials of the injections contained glass particles.

Bedford Laboratories is an American manufacturer that supplies an extensive selection of critical-care and medically necessary multisource and specialty injectable products to the healthcare marketplace. This is the second recall for the same product; according to the FDA’s report, the recalls were first initiated in August of 2011 after visible glass particles were found in a limited number of vials in the affected lots.

The first vaccine retracted from the market was for Vecuronium, a muscle relaxant that is generally used during surgery in conjunction with general anesthesia, to facilitate intubation and mechanical ventilation. The other recalled injection was Polymyxin B, an antibiotic used primarily to treat infections by causing cells to become more permeable, at which point the increase in water-uptake leads to the cell’s death. Polymyxin B, in its natural form, is also commonly used in the topical first-aid preparation ointment Neosporin.

Nevertheless, despite the enormous benefits these medications may have, the glass particles make them potentially deadly. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, particulate matter in injections – such as the glass in this particular case – can be harmful when introduced into the bloodstream. Potential adverse effects may include such things as vein irritation and inflammation, tissue death, obstruction of capillaries and arteries, and in more serious cases, anaphylactic shock, and death.

Although to date there have been no injuries reported from the affected lots, the potential for hazard is enormous.

Illinois product liability law is an area of personal injury law that focuses on dangerous and defective products; it is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and others who manufacture and disseminate goods to the public are held responsible for the injuries caused by those products. "Products" in this instance covers a wide range of categories, including medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

In cases in which Illinois product liability lawsuits arise, the claims most commonly asserted are negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty, and various other consumer protection claims. This particular situation involves strict liability. Under strict liability, the manufacturer of the product is liable for injuries caused if the product harms consumers, even if the manufacturer was not directly negligent in making that product defective.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers represent victims across Illinois in matters against companies that have sold or manufactured unsafe products to consumers. In fact, our attorneys brought a case against Orion Research Inc. and Baxter Health Care Corporation for a flawed test for the genetic disease cystic fibrosis. The failures of the test led a set of parents to have a second cystic child. While recovering a substantial settlement for the family, the firm and the family were more concerned with the discontinuation of the test. As a result of our efforts, the test was eliminated.

If you've had an incident with a product that caused an injury, or are the survivor of someone who may have died from the use or exposure to a dangerous or defective product, contact an attorney to better understand your rights under the law. You may be entitled to compensation for your suffering.

Novartis International AG, the second-most lucrative pharmaceutical company in the world, has just recalled a number of over-the-counter medications because packages of pills may have accidentally included doses of powerful prescription medications.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is not recalling all containers of these medications because they may be otherwise medically necessary, the FDA has released a public warning, cautioning consumers about the potential mix-up.

According to reports by the Associated Press, the problem arose at an American Novartis production facility, which has subsequently been shut down. In 2010, Novartis International AG, a major manufacturer of generic prescription drugs, recorded sales of $46.806 billion. A number of the prescription drugs inadvertently included in the over-the-counter medications were opioids (drugs used in the treatment and management of pain) that are otherwise sold under the labels Percocet, Endocet, Opana, and Zydone. Pieces of the prescription drugs made their way into containers of the over-the-counter remedies, which is what caused the concern and the resulting recall.

This past Sunday, Novartis AG issued a nationwide retraction of certain bottled versions of Excedrin (a headache pain-reliever), Bufferin (an anti-inflammatory medication for minor aches and pains), Gas-X (a pill intended to relieve pain caused by excess gas in the stomach), and No-Doz (a caffeine stimulant), saying that they may contain stray, broken, or chipped parts of prescription tablets of drugs which were manufactured at the same plant.

This situation is a prime example of Illinois product liability law; product liability is an area of Chicago personal injury law that focuses on dangerous and defective products. Although no injuries have yet been reported as a result of the mistake, because Novartis AG’s negligence led to the prescription medications’ inclusion in over-the-counter products, Novartis could be liable for damages if injuries do arise.

Said the FDA’s recall report, mixing of different products in the same bottle could result in consumers taking the incorrect product and receiving a higher or lower strength pain-reliever drug than otherwise intended, or receiving an unintended ingredient. This could potentially result in overdose, interaction with other medications a customer may be taking, or an allergic reaction if the consumer is allergic to the unintended ingredient.

Although the Consumer Health division of Novartis has publicly stated that the recall is a precautionary measure, the tainted over-the-counter packages were distributed to wholesale and retail stores across the country. With such widespread dissemination, the risk to consumers is enormous.

Novartis AG plans to notify distributers and customers, and is urging customers to return potentially hazardous packages. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers have handled numerous cases in which customers have been injured by dangerous, defective, or diseased products. If you or a loved one have suffered as a result of using an unsafe product, contact an attorney to be apprised of your rights under the law.

Continue reading "Over-The-Counter Medications Recalled Because of Accidental Inclusion of Prescription Pharmaceuticals" »

The Food and Drug Administration has just released another medication recall, this time for Fentanyl pan-relieving patches, after manufacturers discovered that the patches were releasing medicine into the bloodstream faster than intended.

Fentanyl is a synesthetic opiod that acts quickly to treat pain, but has a short duration of relief. It is commonly used both as an anesthetic and a pain-reliever, and it is estimated to be more than 100 times more powerful than heroin, per dose. Fentanyl patches are prescribed to patients suffering from chronic, severe pain. When the patch is designed correctly, it slowly releases a very small dose of medication. However, if too much of the medication is delivered or the fentanyl from the patch comes into direct contact with the skin and too much fentanyl is released into the bloodstream, there is a risk of fatal overdose.

There have been a number of problems with fentanyl patches since they were first put on the market in 1994 as a result of manufacturing issues, and several Illinois wrongful death lawsuits have arisen as a result of problems with the patch’s design.

This particular patch, the Actavis Fentanyl Transdermal system is the generic version of Johnson & Johnson’s Duragesic patch. The FDA stated that this particular patch may release lethal amounts of the painkiller into the bloodstream. Although no [Illinois wrongful death cases] have yet been brought against this particular manufacturer, a number of users have reported excessive sedation, respiratory depression, and difficulty breathing.

As the manufacturer of a drug that is available to consumers, Avtavis is responsible for ensuring the safety of their product. When a company manufactures a product to be marketed to the public, the company is responsible for ensuring the safety of those products. There are three main types of Illinois product liability claims:

1. A manufacturing defect, which generally occurs when an otherwise safe product is assembled carelessly;
2. A design defect, which occurs when, no matter how well the product is put together, its intent or layout is inherently dangerous;
3. A failure to warn, which can occur when a product markets a product that they know to be potentially hazardous, and fails to warn consumers of the latent danger.

In this case, when the manufacturing defects lead to injuries or death of consumers, Actavis may be held legally responsible for damages arising from those injuries. This may lead to an Illinois personal injury lawsuit which would serve to compensate the victim for hospital and medical bills, or, in more serious cases, the death of a loved one.

The recall affects lots of the Actavis Fentanyl Transdermal System 25 mcg/hour C-II patches at the wholesale and retail level. They are boxed in packages of 5, and marked with one of the following lot numbers: 30041, 30049 and 30066 with an expiration date of 12/2011; 30096 and 30123 with an expiration date of 01/2012; 30097, 30241, and 30256 with an expiration date of 02/2012; 30257, 30258, 30349 and 30350 with an expiration date of 03/2012; 30391, 30392, 30429, 30430, 30431 and 30517 with an expiration date of 04/2012.

Consumers are advised to throw away the packages or return them to a retail store for a full refund. Additionally, if users note adverse reactions, contact a physician immediately. Additionally, report symptoms to the FDA. Individuals may also want to contact an attorney to be advised of their rights under the law.

A recent report released by MSNBC and the Associated Press details the fact that the popular contraceptive pill, Yaz, may not be as safe as drug manufacturers originally thought.

Concerns arose with Yaz and other, newer forms of birth control when federal health scientists discovered that more recent forms of birth control treatments appear to increase the risk of potentially fatal blood clots. The study compared the latest birth control medications and their effects to symptoms and side effects associated with older forms of contraceptive drugs. The FDA’s report showed that on average, women taking Yaz had a 75% higher risk of developing a blood clot than women taking older types of contraceptive pills. A related study published earlier this week in the British Medical Journal also found that women taking Yaz and other newer medications had twice the risk of blood clots as women taking the older hormone levonorgestrel.

Bayer, a major chemical and pharmaceutical producer in the United States that is a branch of the German pharmaceutical conglomerate, manufactures Yaz. Yaz, Yasmin, and related pills containing the same hormones as found in Yaz, were Bayer’s second-most successful line of products last year, and brought in almost $1.6 billion in sales, worldwide.

Yaz, as well as a number of the newer birth control pills on the market, contains estrogen along with a next-generation synthetic hormone called drospirenone, which is known to increase potassium levels in the blood, reports MSNBC. The Food and Drug Administration’s report also expressed concern over the Ortho Evra contraceptive patch (produced by Johnson & Johnson), and the Nuvaring vaginal contraceptive ring (manufactured by Merck & Co. Inc.). All of these newer birth control medications contain synthetic hormones that have been developed in the last decade.

In fact, this isn’t the first problem the FDA has cited regarding Yaz. In 2009, the FDA required Bayer to run corrective TV commercials for Yaz, with the purpose of saying that the original marketing campaign overstated Yaz’s ability to prevent acne and premenstrual syndrome. It is very rare occurrence for the FDA to necessitate remedial advertisements, and it is a testament to the seriousness of the misinformation that the FDA demanded that Bayer take such action.

"At a certain point we have to ask why the FDA continues to approve drugs that are less safe and have no benefit compared to drugs already on the market," said Dr. Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Women and Families, a consumer group for women's health issues.

When corporations manufacture a product, they have the responsibility for testing that product to ensure its safety before the product is put on the market and sold to consumers. This is especially true for pharmaceutical companies whose products must undergo extensive testing before they are distributed to consumers. When a company makes a product that is defective or dangerous and that product harms the person using that product, the company may be held legally responsible for the customer’s injuries. This type of situation would give rise to an Illinois product liability lawsuit.

As it applies in this case, if it is found that the use of Yaz or other types of birth control has caused a blood clot in a consumer, and the blood clot causes serious personal injury or death, the manufacturer of the drug may be liable for damages from the product’s hazardous effects. In Illinois wrongful death cases a victim’s family members and loved ones may sometimes recover for the loss of companionship and the loss of future wages caused by the early death.

Although the FDA’s report didn’t state a final conclusion on the safety of Yaz, the Agency plans to hold a meeting with scientific advisers on December 8 of this year to evaluate the potential danger of the drug.

Our Illinois personal injury lawyers are concerned about the FDA’s recall of Avandia, a pharmaceutical intended to treat diabetes.

Avandia is one of the most popular drugs used in the treatment of patients with diabetes. It works by binding to receptors in human fat cells, and making those cells more responsive to insulin. Nevertheless, recent reports have shown a strong link to major health problems, including the risk of death.

Avandia is manufactured by London, United Kingdom-based GlaxoSmithKline, which is the third-largest pharmaceutical company in the world, after Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer. Complaints and concerns about the drug started around the year 2000, and the FDA has recently undertaken extensive testing to determine potential health and safety hazards associated with Avandia. In response to these tests, the FDA has approved further restrictions on the sale and prescription of this drug.

There has been an enormous amount of research showing that Avandia is associated with potentially-fatal cardiovascular problems. In February of 2007, GlaxoSmithKline disseminated a warning that use of Avandia was potentially associated with the risk of bone fractures, especially in female users. In November of 2008, the consumer group Citizen Watchdog issued a statement that warned consumers of the potential link to liver failure, cardiovascular issues, vision problems, and anemia. In response, GlaxoSmithKline denied the reports.

The New England Journal of Medicine published an article in June of 2010 that exposed the fact that Avandia use increased the risk of heart attacks by 43% and the risk of cardiovascular-related death by 64%. GlaxoSmithKline has since recalled Avandia from European countries, and the FDA ordered a restriction on the use and prescription of Avandia because of the enormous risks of cardiovascular issues.

This type of situation is one that is absolutely covered under Products Liability Law. Products Liability is an area of Illinois personal injury law that focuses on dangerous and defective products; when a corporation manufactures and/or distributes a product to the public, that company is responsible for testing the merchandise for safety before putting it on the market. When a dangerous or defective product causes injury to consumers, the company may be liable for the damages caused by those injuries.

Many Avandia consumers who have suffered side-effects as a result of using the drug have since filed personal injury lawsuits against GlaxoSmithKline. Currently there are thousands of pending lawsuits against GlaxoSmithKline. As of July 2010, GlaxoSmithKline had agree to settle more than 11,500 of the more than 13,000 pending lawsuits.

Our Chicago personal injury attorneys understand the dangers associated with defective medications. In fact, our attorneys brought a case against Orion Research Inc. and Baxter Health Care Corporation for a flawed test for the genetic disease cystic fibrosis. The failures of the test led a set of parents to have second child born with cystic-fibrosis. In addition to winning a substantial settlement for the family, our attorneys and the family were more concerned with the discontinuation of the test. As a result of our efforts, the test was eliminated.

If you or a loved on have taken a prescription for Avandia and have suffered injury as a result of the negative side effects, talk to your doctor about finding an alternative medication, and contact an attorney to learn whether you are entitled to compensation under the law.

Earlier this month, the FDA ordered a product recall of nearly 500 prescription medications used for treating colds, coughs, and allergies from the United States market. The reason, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is that the drugs contain ingredients that have not been approved by federal regulators. These products had not been formally evaluated by federal regulators and is being referred to as the latest in a series of actions by the FDA to stop the sale of products sold without government authorization. The FDA stated that the agency was unsure if the drugs were safe or effective and believe that their existence on the market poses an untenable risk to US consumers. Hence, removing these unapproved products will reduce potential risks to consumers.

The unapproved drugs have been linked to some minor problems, such as drowsiness and irritability. However, the agency is concerned that medical problems associated with the drugs may be significantly underreported. Some of the products are labeled as suitable for children, but contain ingredients covered by a 2008 FDA advisory that warned against over-the-counter medications in children under the age of 2. Some of the drugs combine two varieties of the same ingredient that could cause excessive drowsiness. Agency officials do not know how many patients are taking the drugs that would be removed from the market. Over-the-counter medications, which are used more frequently than prescription drugs, are not affected by the FDA’s order. Many questioned whether physicians were aware that they prescribed a drug that was never approved by the FDA.

Visit the New York Times to read more about the FDA cold drug product recall.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a massive request last month when it requested that the manufacturers of propoxyphene, known as PXP, a pain reliever, to stop selling drugs that contain PXP. PXP was introduced in 1957 under the trade name of Darvon. Derivatives of Darvon, including Darvon Compound and Darvocet, quickly followed and added other analgesics to the parent drug. When the product recall occurred, an estimated 10 million Americans took drugs containing PXP. Alone, PXP was not very effective in pain-relief and seemed to have an addictive risk.

The Darvocet product recall came after reports that PXP could cause dangerous disturbances in heart rhythm. Individuals critical of PXP have argued for over 20 years that the recalled drug was unsafe for many reasons. The FDA vote was 14-12, reflecting the controversy surrounding the issue. The United Kingdom and the European Union had already banned PXP sales several years prior to the recall. PXP is not the only recently recalled drug with suspected cardiac side effects. In September 2004, Vioxx was recalled based upon heart problems that appeared after 18 or more months of use of the drug. This product recall was despite a spirited defense by its manufacture that the drug was safe. And since that, the FDA has issued new warnings of cardiac risks associated with diabetes drug Avandia. Again, the panel reviewing the dangers of Avandia was deeply divided over whether to withdraw or restrict use of the agent.

While the FDA conducts extensive review of all laboratory and clinical studies to assess the safety of new drugs, the agency depends on the integrity of scientists who conducted the original studies. The FDA unfortunately does not have the capacity to test new drugs independently. The agency must consider other options to review drugs and avoid subsequent product recalls.

Read more about the need for better product safeguards by following the link.

One man is trying to get to the heart of the problem of Floxin, a drug that caused him serious side effects. The product liability victim suffered permanent tendon and nerve damage from Floxin and has since acted as an advocate for a complete Levaquin withdrawal. To accomplish this, the product liability victim filed a shareholder proxy for Johnson & Johnson’s, the drug manufacturer’s, next annual meeting. He bought a share of Johnson & Johnson’s stock so that he would be able to attend its annual shareholder meeting and ask the shareholder to: (1) discontinue the sales incentive program for selling Levaquin and Floxin so that they can tell the truth about its toxicity and (2) add to the Levaquin label that side effects include permanent delayed reactions can lead to chronic pain and that medication should be stopped at the slightest sign of reaction.

The product liability victim bought additional Johnson & Johnson shares in order to file a Shareholder Proxy for the next Annual Meeting for shareholders. He stated that he wants them to vote on forcing the company to put a warning on the Levaquin label, stating that it may cause permanent tendon and nerve damage with permanent pain.

Continue reading "Product liability victim files shareholder proxy for drug company’s meeting" »

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urged a change to the product labeling for Januvia, an oral Type 2 diabetes drug, over a year ago regarding various Januvia side effects. Many are arguing that the FDA was slow to urge this change regarding the drug side effects, given reports of adverse reactions that had been coming in since Januvia had been approved. On the other hand, Public Citizen had posted Januvia to its Worstpills.org website in June 2007, advising that Januvia should not be used until seven years after its introduction on the market – no earlier than 2014.

In October 2006, Januvia was approved by the FDA and the adverse reactions began rolling in shortly thereafter with the FDA receiving reports of pancreatitis with Januvia starting the very month that the drug was approved. Of 88 reports of pancreatitis reported from October 2006 to February 2009, 19 patients suffered the onset of pancreatitis within a mere 30 days of starting the Januvia drug. Public Citizen noted that even in clinical studies, trial participants were found to experience an increased level of creatinine in their bodies, which is often an early indicator of kidney problems. Anyone considering a Januvia product liability lawsuit may consider the lag time between October 2006 – when the first negative side effect reports were received by the FDA – and September 2009 – when the agency revised the drug’s warning label. This time should have spent to prevent further suffering by those who take Januvia.

Public Citizen is a well-established and trustworthy consumer advocate group, who has an enviable track record of raising concerns about potentially problematic drugs and remains ahead of the curve.

Visit Public Citizen for more information on their early warning against Januvia.

The Associated Press is reporting that the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) is cracking down on manufacturers of certain weight loss, body building, and sexual supplements that contain potentially dangerous ingredients. The FDA said last week that some manufacturers are deceptively labeling products to hide that they contain ingredients known to cause adverse health effects. Further, other supplements contain ingredients that should only be available by prescription. Dietary supplements can slip through regulatory cracks because, unlike drugs, they do not have to be approved by the FDA before they are marketed. Such “slipping through the cracks” is dangerous! Some of the weight-loss supplements contained the active ingredient in the recalled diet drug Meridia, which was pulled off of the market a couple of months ago due to heart risks.

Continue reading "FDA targets tainted supplements manufacturers" »

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last week that Illinois-based pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories has agreed to remove its obesity drug Meridia off of the market. The Illinois company voluntarily withdrew the drug because trial studies showed an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes in individuals who used the drug. Nearly 8 million people worldwide have been taking the weight loss drug, including 100,000 Americans who use the recalled product. The drug had projected sales of $30 million in the U.S. this year.

The director of the Office of New Drugs in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research announced that the drug’s continued availability is not justified when one compares the very modest weight loss gained with the product liability risks of heart attack or stroke. The original data on the drug showed that individuals who took the drug lost at least 5 percent more of their body weight than those who were on a placebo and relied on diet and exercise alone.

The FDA requested that the Illinois company withdraw the dangerous drug adfter reviewing data from a follow-up study. It showed a 16 percent increase in the risk of many serious product liability side effects, including non-fatal heart attacks, non-fatal strokes, and death. The FDA could not find one person whose benefit from the drug outweighed its risk.

Read more about the drug pulled from the market at CNN.