Avandia® Fosamax® and Other Defective Drugs
Defective drugs are becoming a huge problem in this country. Our attorneys understand the complexities involved in Vioxx®, Fosamax® and other defective drug litigation. We can help you build your case. If you feel you have been harmed by an over-the-counter medication or by a prescription medication such as Vioxx® or Fosamax® please contact our Phoenix, Arizona lawyers at Phillips and Associates. We will discuss your case at no cost to you. If you have a viable defective drug cause of action, our lawyers will fight to get you the full compensation you are entitled to under the law.
- Top newsmakers:
- Gadolinium
- Avandia®
- Fosamax®
- Ortho Evra®
- Vioxx®
- Zelnorm®
- Peanut Butter Recall
- Seroquel®
- Trasylol®
- Paxil®
- ReNu® Eye Solution with MoistureLoc®
- DURAGESIC® Patch
- Other newsmakers:
- Gleevec®
- Tequin®
- Ketek®
- Bextra®
- Steven Johnson Syndrome
- Zyprexa®
- Trileptal®
- Accutane®
- Celebrex®
- Naproxen
- Baycol®
- Ephedra
- Fen-Phen and Redux
- Phenylpropanolamine (PPA)
- Propulsid® Heartburn Drug
- Rezulin® Diabetes Insulin Drug
Vioxx®
If you feel you have suffered harm from taking Vioxx®, our Phoenix, Arizona lawyers at Phillips and Associates want to help you. Presently, we represent clients from numerous states and can help clients anywhere in the United States. Vioxx® is a prescription drug that was voluntarily withdrawn from the marketplace by its manufacturer, Merck & Company, on September 30, 2004 after Vioxx® was linked to an increase of cardiovascular problems including heart attacks and strokes.
Vioxx® was approved by the FDA in 1999. Vioxx® is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and is part of a class of drugs commonly referred to as “Cox-2 Inhibitors.” The drug works by blocking COX-2 enzymes in the body, which are the enzymes that trigger pain and inflammation. Vioxx® is available in pill or liquid form and is primarily prescribed to relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Vioxx® has also been prescribed to treat acute adult pain.
During a recent study, it was determined that taking Vioxx® may increase the chances of developing heart attacks and strokes, and other life-threatening side effects including heart failure, chest pains, blood clots, serious bleeding, angina, nonbacterial meningitis, severe intestinal damage, ulceration and internal bleeding, and kidney damage. Sadly, many Vioxx® users have died.
Many recent Vioxx® lawsuits bring to light questions as to when Merck first became aware that these fatal side effects were associated with taking Vioxx®. The litigation against Merck also explores whether the company failed to inform public health authorities of these side effects in a timely manner. Additionally, the lawsuits allege that Merck heavily marketed Vioxx® as highly safe and effective, while minimizing the risks associated with Vioxx® as compared to other drugs on the market.
Many Vioxx® users and their families do not realize that Vioxx® is/was the cause of their health problems. If you or a loved one has experienced any of the health problems listed here and have taken Vioxx®, please contact your doctor, then contact the Phoenix and Tucson area attorneys at Phillips and Associates as soon as possible.
If you have taken Vioxx® yet have no symptoms you may still have a viable case. Please take a moment to fill out our short form and describe your experience with Vioxx® to our lawyers at the Phoenix, Arizona law firm of Phillips and Associates. Our attorneys will contact you to discuss your case further.
If you suspect that Vioxx® has caused you health problems or has injured you, please consult with our Phoenix, Arizona Vioxx® attorneys now by calling 1-800-706-3000 or by submitting our short and simple Vioxx® case evaluation. You may have a lawsuit and be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Don’t wait. Contact our Phoenix, Arizona Vioxx® lawyers now.
To learn more about Vioxx and the side effects, please visit: www.vioxx-injuryinformation.com
Celebrex®
In December 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued statements regarding the prescription drug Celebrex®. The FDA asked the manufacturer of Celebrex®, Pfizer, Inc., to agree to suspend advertising the drug, due to conflicting data regarding potentially harmful cardiovascular complications to those taking Celebrex®. Celebrex®, similar to Vioxx®, was considered a safe alternative to Vioxx® when Vioxx® was pulled from the shelves. Recently, however, Celebrex® has been linked to an increase of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular difficulties.
If you feel you have been harmed by Celebrex® or Vioxx®, our Phoenix, Arizona lawyers at Phillips and Associates want to hear from you. We can evaluate your case at no cost to you.
To learn more about Celebrex and the side effects, please visit: www.celebrexlegalcenter.com
Naproxen
On December 20, 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement regarding the over-the-counter medication Naproxen. During a clinical trial involving Naproxen and patients at risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease, it was discovered that there was an increased risk of cardiovascular problems, including heart attack and stroke, in those patients taking Naproxen when compared to those patients taking a placebo.
If you feel you have been harmed by Naproxen, contact our Phoenix, Tucson, Arizona area attorneys at the law firm of Phillips and Associates to discuss your case free of charge. Our lawyers will fight for the compensation you deserve under the law.
Baycol®
The attorneys with the Phoenix law firm of Phillips and Associates can help you if you were harmed by the prescription drug Baycol®. Baycol®, a cholesterol lowering drug, was approved for use in the United States by the FDA in 1997. Baycol® is one of an extraordinarily popular family of cholesterol-lowering drugs called "statins." Baycol’s® German manufacturer, Bayer AG, pulled the drug from the market in August, 2001, after it was linked to several United States deaths, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA had received reports of Baycol® patients experiencing severe rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a condition that causes muscle-cell breakdown (atrophy) and causes muscle pain, weakness, tenderness, malaise, fever, dark urine, nausea and vomiting. In a Reuters article, the FDA claimed that in some cases, rhabdomyolysis is so severe that patients develop failure of the kidney or other organs, which can be fatal.
In a written statement the FDA said, "the FDA has received reports of 31 US deaths due to severe rhabdomyolysis associated with use of Baycol®.'' Twelve of the 31 deaths involved patients taking another drug, gemfibrozil, the FDA said.
"While all statins have been associated with very rare reports of rhabdomyolysis, cases of fatal rhabdomyolysis in association with the use of Baycol® have been reported significantly more frequently than for other approved statins,'' the FDA said.
Baycol® patients who are experiencing muscle pain or are also taking gemfibrozil should discontinue Baycol® immediately and consult their physician, the FDA said. Others taking Baycol® should talk to their doctors about switching to alternative medications, the agency advised.
Please contact Phillips and Associates in Phoenix if you believe you have been harmed by taking Baycol®. Our attorneys will help you receive any compensation you are legally entitled to.
Ephedra
Ephedra is an ingredient found in many over-the-counter medications such as diet pills, fat burners, decongestants, allergy medications and other products. Ephedra is also contained in Ma Huang. Ephedra has been linked to serious health problems and injuries including stroke, heart attack and death. The lawyers with Phillips and Associates in Phoenix have extensive experience representing those harmed by ephedra.
On December 30, 2003, the FDA published a Consumer Alert regarding dietary supplements containing Ephedra [1] . The FDA concluded that supplements containing Ephedra present an unreasonable risk of illness or injury, and should not be consumed. On February 11, 2004, the FDA formally published their determination in the federal register. Effective April 12, 2004, all dietary supplements containing Ephedra were banned from sale or promotion [2] .
More official information on Ephedra and its side effects can be found on the FDA Ephedra web page [3] . The Rand Report was the principal document compiled by the FDA to document and eventually ban Ephedra from the marketplace. A summary of the report can be found on the FDA's site [4] .
[1] http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/ephedra/december2003/advisory.html
[2] http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2004/NEW01050.html
[3] http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/ephedra/december2003/
[4] http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/ephedra/summary.html
If you or someone you know used an over-the-counter product that contained Ephedra, and serious injury was the result, please contact Phillips & Associates to see if you have a claim for the harm that you have been caused.
Fen-Phen and Redux Heart Valve Problems
At Phillips and Associates in Phoenix, our lawyers understand how scary the side effects of drugs can be. Fen-phen and Redux were prescribed to help overweight individuals lose weight. Unfortunately, many suffered serious consequences, including heart valve damage, primary pulmonary hypertension, and secondary pulmonary hypertension.
If you or a loved one has taken fen-phen or Redux and have suffered from cardiovascular problems, please contact our attorneys at the Phoenix law firm of Phillips and Associates. We can help you evaluate your situation and determine whether or not you have a viable defective drug claim.
Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a rare disease of unknown cause that results in the progressive narrowing of the blood vessels of the lungs, causing high blood pressure in these blood vessels and eventually leading to heart failure. Secondary pulmonary hypertension (SPH) is the result of other types of lung disease, abnormal breathing processes or heart disease.
Use of certain fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine drugs (fen-phen) and the anti-obesity drug Redux have been found to increase the risk of developing PPH, especially with use lasting more than three months. Initial symptoms of PPH may be very minor, and diagnosis may be delayed for several years until symptoms worsen. Typical symptoms may include:
- Shortness of breath following exertion
- Excessive fatigue
- Dizziness, fainting, and weakness
- Ankle swelling
- Bluish lips and skin
- Chest pain
If you have taken either fen-phen or Redux for more than three months and have any shortness of breath, chest pain or unusual fatigue, the Federal Drug Administration and the American Board of Cardiology recommend that you have an echocardiogram. It might also be wise to consult our experienced attorneys in Phoenix and surrounding areas of Arizona at Phillips and Associates. Contact us.
Bextra®
Bextra® is a COX-2 inhibitor (an anti-inflammatory in the same class as Vioxx®) prescribed to treat those suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and menstrual cramping. Pfizer Inc. manufactures Bextra®.
On November 9, 2004, at American Heart Association Conference, Dr. Garret A. Fitzgerald, a cardiologist and pharmacologist at the University of Pennsylvania, presented preliminary results of a study linking Pfizer’s painkiller Bextra® to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The study, which pooled data from 5,930 patients taking part in 12 trials, found that patients who took Bextra® were more than two times more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than those patients who were given a placebo (sugar pill). Dr. Fitzgerald said of the results, “This is a time bomb waiting to go off.”
On November 10, 2004, the New York Times reported that a new safety study had established a link between Bextra® and serious side effects, including heart attack and stroke.
On October 15, 2004, Pfizer Inc. said that two small clinical trials showed heart bypass surgery patients taking Bextra® had a higher risk of stroke and heart attack.
The FDA approved Bextra® treat arthritis pain, but surprisingly Bextra® has not been proven to alleviate pain any better than older, cheaper medicines like ibuprofen or naproxen. Nor has Bextra® been proven to be any safer to the stomach than those drugs.
Currently, Phillips & Associates is actively investigating injury claims on behalf of injured Bextra® users. If you or a loved one has suffered damaging side effects as a result of taking Bextra® contact the personal injury attorneys at any one of our Arizona office immediately to discuss your legal rights.
To learn more about Bextra and the side effects, please visit: www.nationalbextralawyer.com
Steven Johnson Syndrome
Steven Johnson Syndrome is a life-threatening disease that affects the skin. It can cause skin peeling rashes and blistering. The blistering is usually centered around the openings in the body, such as the mouth, nose, eyes, vagina and anus. However, the rashes can appear over the entire body. This disease causes discomfort, misery, pain and even death.
Steven Johnson Syndrome is usually caused by a drug reaction. Some of the more common drugs that have been linked to it are Bextra® and Trileptal. If you have taken Bextra® or Trileptal and have been diagnosed with Steven Johnson Syndrome contact our personal injury attorneys immediately to discuss your possible case.
To learn more about Steven Johnson Syndrome and the side effects, please visit: www.nationalbextralawyer.com
Zyprexa®
Zyprexa® is an anti-psychotic medication that was approved in 1996 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of schizophrenia. Zyprexa® is a member of a class of drugs commonly referred to as “second generation anti-psychotics” (SGA’s) or “atypical anti-psychotics.” When Zyprexa® was approved in 1996, there were 2 other such SGA medications already available on the market. Consequently, Zyprexa® is considered a “me-too” drug, joining a class of existing medications prescribed for the treatment of common disorders.
The second generation anti-psychotics were developed as an alternative to the so-called “first generation anti-psychotics” (FGA’s). The SGA’s were designed to be more effective in the treatment of anti-psychotics disorders with fewer of the side effects generally associated with the use of FGA’s.
Zyprexa® is the most commonly prescribed of the six SGA’s currently available. The generic name of Zyprexa® is olanzapine. Zyprexa® has been prescribed to more than 14 million people in 84 countries since its approval in 1996.
In September 2003, The FDA ordered Eli Lilly to revise the label of Zyprexa® by adding a Zyprexa® side effect warning that “hyperglycemia, in some cases extreme and associated with ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar coma or death, has been reported in patients treated with atypical anti-psychotics.” Among the more serious outcomes resulting from hyperglycemic abnormalities are diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis, diabetic coma and, in some cases death.
To learn more about the Zyprexa and the side effects, please visit: www.zyprexainjurylaw.com
Accutane®
In the early 1980’s, Hoffman-La Roche developed a new drug to treat severe acne conditions that would not respond to antibiotic treatments. Accutane® was considered a breakthrough against acne and has been prescribed to millions worldwide, becoming Hoffman-La Roche's largest selling drug. However, over the last 20 years the patients who took Accutane® have suffered a wide variety of terrible side effects from the drug, including birth defects to children, miscarriages, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. In addition, a number of Accutane® patients have committed suicide or developed serious psychological instabilities while taking the drug. Hoffman-La Roche knew about potential side effects even before the drug was released on the market. It is only recently that the FDA has forced Hoffman-La Roche to create Accutane® warning labels that accurately list the potential side effects.
Unfortunately, these disclosures come too late for thousands of Accutane® users, who are only now discovering that the drug they trusted to help them overcome acne was affecting them in dangerous ways. If you, a friend, or a loved one has taken Accutane® and experienced any of these harmful side effects, please schedule a consultation with the personal injury lawyers at our office in our Phoenix, Arizona offices.
To learn more about Accutane and the side effects, please visit: www.accutanelegalrights.com
Phenylpropanolamine (PPA)
Our lawyers with the Phoenix law firm of Phillips and Associates understand the complexities involved with defective drug litigation, including PPA lawsuits. PPA, also known as Phenylpropanolamine, has become newsworthy because of the recently published study by Yale University that confirmed the relationship between this over-the-counter drug and stroke due to an elevated blood pressure inside the brain that caused the blood vessels there to burst, also called a hemorrhagic (bleeding) or hypertensive stroke.
Hemorrhagic strokes typically occur in the elderly and are extremely rare in those under the age of 50. This five-year Yale University study comparing PPA use among stroke survivors with healthy people concluded that PPA increases stroke risk for young women within three days of taking appetite suppressants containing PPA, or within three days of taking their first-ever PPA dose for any reason.
PPA was used as an ingredient in many over-the-counter medications and prescription medications for colds, sinus, allergy, cough drugs and diet and appetite suppressant drugs and was found in over 400 products, which included over-the-counter appetite suppressants and cough and cold remedies. A few of the more common over-the-counter drugs that contained PPA are: Acutrim®, Alka Seltzer®, Alka Seltzer Cold Plus® Medicine, Contact, Dimetapp®, Dristan, Halls Menthol-Lyptus, Robitussin®, Sine-Off, Tavist-D® and Triaminic®.
A 29 year old woman with no prior medical problems suffered a hypertensive stroke after taking PPA. This was written up on the front page of The New York Times, December 13, 2000. Some of the current litigation involves Alka Seltzer Plus, which previously contained PPA and was sold as a cold remedy or for nasal congestion. Some consumers who were taking a prescription medicine containing PPA developed a hypertensive crisis and stroke soon after using the medicine. In one case involving a famous New York photographer, death occurred within a matter of hours of PPA use. Another case involved Tavist-D, made by Novartis (formerly Sandoz), which was taken as a cold remedy. Another case involved PPA in a product sold for weight reduction because of its inherent appetite suppression effect.
The Yale study demonstrated a significant risk of hemorrhagic stroke in users of PPA, with or without concurrent use of other drugs. On the strength of that study and numerous side effect reports, a FDA advisory panel warned in October 2000 that the use of PPA in over-the-counter drugs was unsafe and should be removed from non-prescription drugs. Other safer drugs were available for the same purposes for which PPA was used. Close on the heels of that advisory warning, it was announced that the FDA has moved to ban over-the-counter sales of PPA because of the increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke for users. The manufacturers of PPA have removed their products from store shelves in the wake of the FDA's actions.
Consumers should not use any products that contain PPA (phenylpropanolamine) because PPA is believed to be responsible for 200 to 500 bleeding strokes each year. While these products were reformulated and PPA was removed, they were never recalled. These products may be lurking in your medicine cabinet. If the label says it contains PPA, the lawyers with Phillips and Associates in Phoenix, Arizona, advise you to throw it away.
If you or someone you know has used an over-the-counter weight loss or cold and cough remedy and have suffered a stroke or similar serious injury through the use of PPA, contact the attorneys with Phillips & Associates to see if you have a claim for the harm that you have been caused.
Propulsid® Heartburn Drug
Propulsid® was a popular drug prescribed to treat heartburn in adults and colic in infants. Although Propulsid® was approved for adult use, many children, mostly infants and premature babies, took Propulsid® - and some have died or suffered irregular heartbeats. Our attorneys with Phillips and Associates in Phoenix and Arizona help those harmed by Propulsid®.
Propulsid® is not an antacid but instead helps push food through the stomach. People have died as a result of Propulsid® related conditions and the drug has been withdrawn from the market.
Propulsid® (cisapride) can cause fatal heart rhythm problems. Cases of serious heart arrhythmias, including ventricular fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias and torsades de pointe and QT prolongation, cardiac arrest and sudden death have been observed in people taking Propulsid® (cisapride). In rare cases, seizures have been reported. Nervous system side effects have included headaches, dizziness and fatigue.
If you or someone you loved has been harmed by Propulsid®, please contact the lawyers with Phillips and Associates. We will help you receive the compensation you may be entitled to under the law.
Rezulin® Diabetes Insulin Drug
At Phillips and Associates, our lawyers can help those harmed by Rezulin®. Approximately half a million diabetes sufferers were treated with Rezulin® after it came on the market in January of 1997. The pills offered hope to insulin-dependent Americans that it could reduce or in some cases eliminate the need for insulin shots. Unfortunately, due to its harmful side effects, it is now thought to be far more toxic than other diabetes drugs, such as Avandia® and Actos®.
Rezulin® was also used in conjunction with insulin or sulfonylurea in patients with Type 2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes) whose blood glucose levels were not adequately controlled by other therapies alone. Rezulin® resensitized the body to insulin, a hormone that converts blood sugar to energy.
The FDA made four changes to Rezulin's® safety-label before finally removing the drug from the market in March 2000. If you have taken Rezulin® and have any of the following symptoms, consult your physician immediately:
- Swelling of the ankles and legs
- Abdominal pain
- Severe headaches
- Severe leg and foot pain
- Dizziness
- Back pain
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Dark urine
- Jaundice
If you or a loved one has been harmed by the prescription drug Rezulin®, please contact our lawyers in Phoenix, Arizona with Phillips and Associates. We can help you determine whether or not you have a viable defective drug case.
