FDA & Prescription Drugs

• So what is an MDL?

  Staff Writer | April 19, 2006 9:31 AM | 2 CommentsDenver, CO

  Many folks have recently seen or perhaps heard of the Vioxx, Celebrex, Bextra, Ortho Evra, Guidant and Medtronic "MDLs" in the media. So what is an "MDL"? Well, its shorthand for multidistrict litigation. The first thing you need to know about multidistrict litigation is that its not the same thing as a class action. A class action is a lawsuit where a few people sue on behalf of themselves and...

• Mirapex caused gambling

  Staff Writer | April 18, 2006 9:27 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  A retired doctor from Austin has sued Las Vegas casinos and the maker of Parkinson drug Requip, claiming that they caused compulsive gambling behavior that ultimately cost him $14 million in Las Vegas. The plaintiff cites a 2005 Mayo Clinic study documenting 11 Parkinson's patients who developed compulsive behaviors while taking Requip or Mirapex.See the American-Statesman article by clicking...

• Claims Involving Birth Control Patch

  Staff Writer | April 17, 2006 8:25 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  The article at this link does a good job of discussing the current issues surrounding Ortho-McNeil's Ortho Evra Contraceptive Patch. According to the article, it appears people have suffered substantial injury in hundreds of cases across the country involving this patch. Ortho-McNeil has settled many of the lawsuits in the past few months for millions of dollars.

• ADHD Drugs

  Staff Writer | April 16, 2006 9:20 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  The FDA Advisory Committee recently issued an alert saying that,"Attention deficit/hyperactivity drugs should be prescribed with a medication guide warning of potential cardiovascular risks with the class of stimulant agents, FDA's Drug Safety & Risk Management Advisory Committee recommended Feb. 9."Here's the list of ADHD drugs under scrutiny:----------------------FDA conducted an analysis of...

• Fosamax

  Staff Writer | April 14, 2006 4:43 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  Users of bisphosonates, such as Fosamax, have been experiencing the decay or death of their jawbone. Fosamax is prescribed to treat osteoporosis. Last year alone, doctors wrote an estimated 22.4 million prescriptions for Fosamax. Unlike many injuries, osteonecrosis of the jaw is not common in the general population and thus believed to be a "signature" injury that will aid in the prosecution...

• Bausch and Lomb Stock Drops

  Staff Writer | April 12, 2006 2:14 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  Walgreen''s has issued an order for all locations to stop selling all of Bausch and Lomb's Renu products, not just MoistureLoc, which has been suspected of causing rare eye infections leading to blindness. Bausch & Lomb's stock continued to drop another 6% om imcreasingly bad news about health concerns resulting from their contact lens solutions.

• Litigation Update - Zicam/Cold-Eeze Nasal Sprays Cause Loss of Smell/Taste

  Staff Writer | March 09, 2006 7:47 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  Burg Simpson is currently interviewing potential clients with cases involving two homeopathic remedies that have been shown to injure users. The two drugs are (a) Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel and (b) Cold-Eeze Nasal Spray. Both are cold remedies, that are sprayed directly into the user's nose. The active ingredient in each is zinc (in the form of zinc gluconate). Zinc ions have long been...

• Kava Kava Linked to Liver Damage

  Staff Writer | March 07, 2006 12:52 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  Joe Saunders in Orlando has a great post about the dangers of Kava Kava and the fact that the FDA is warning consumers about the risk of severe liver damage when taking products containing the supplement.Joe notes:Kava-containing products have been associated with liver-related injuries - including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure -- in over 25 reports of adverse events in other...

• Adverse Reactions after Admission

  Staff Writer | March 06, 2006 9:23 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  We found a good article at www.worstpills.org about adverse reactions to drugs. Surprisingly, the article says that about 770,000 people experience adverse drug reactions AFTER they've been admitted to a hospital!Following is an excerpt of the article:In addition to the 1.5 million people a year who are admitted to the hospital because of adverse drug reactions, an additional three-quarters of...

• An Item of Interest to Diabetics

  Staff Writer | March 06, 2006 9:18 PM | 0 CommentsDenver, CO

  The FDA has announced its approval of the first inhaled insulin product, Exubera.Following is an excerpt of the FDA's January 27, 2006, announcement:There is a new, potential alternative for many of the more than 5 million Americans who take insulin injections, with the Food and Drug Administration's approval today of the first ever inhaled insulin. Exubera, an inhaled powder form of recombinant...