Articles Posted in Product Liability

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urging Healthcare professionals to remain vigilant about reporting cases of malignancy in patients treated with TNF blockers to MedWatch. This comes after the FDA has continued to receive reports of a rare cancer of white blood cells, known as Hepatosplenic T-Cell Lymphoma or HSTCL.

The FDA updates on Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blockers

HSTCL is an aggressive cancer and is usually fatal. The majority of the reported cases were in patients that are being treated for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, but also include a patient that is being treated for psoriasis and two patients that are being treated for rheumatoid arthritis. The FDA is now updating the number of reported cases of HSTCL. Although most reported cases of HSTCL occurred in patients treated with a combination of medicines known to suppress the immune system, including the TNF blockers, azathioprine, and/or mercaptopurine, there have been cases reported in patients receiving azathioprine or mercaptopurine alone.

Researchers have uncovered a link between breast cancer treatment and type 2 diabetes. According to a study conducted by The University of Toronto, it has been discovered that therapy with the drug Tamoxifen has been linked to a significant increase in the development of diabetes in older survivors of breast cancer.

Tamoxifen, an oral medication used in women with breast cancer, is one of the most widely prescribed drugs to prevent a recurrence in women who have been treated for the condition. Tamoxifen disrupts the female body’s production of estrogen, which promotes breast cancer in women. Research now suggests that the drug may contribute to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers state that no one taking Tamoxifen should discontinue their use of the medication, but they and their doctors should know the association.

For the study, the researchers examined the medical records of 14,360 women over the age of 65 who had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, and had survived. The results, which were published in the journal “Cancer”, showed that Tamoxifen patients are 25 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Accutane lawsuits arise out of the allegation that Accutane, an acne medication that has been available for almost 30 years, causes serious bowel problems, Crohn’s Disease, and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. Our lawyers are reviewing these claims. For a free consultation, call 800-553-8082 or get more information online.

Accutane lawsuits have been going on for some time now. But interest in these lawsuits rose dramatically after a $25 million verdict against the manufacturer of Accutane earlier this year. The lawsuit played out like a novel. The Plaintiff got a $2.62 million verdict only to have an appellate court take away the verdict. A new jury heard the case and tacked on an additional $23 million. That is a strong message.

There are over 1,000 Accutane lawsuits now pending. If you think you may have a claim, find out if we can help you. Get a free online no obligation consultation.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that Spiriva HandiHaler patients may face an increased risk of heart attacks or strokes and other cardiac problems.

Concerns with Spiriva

The Spiriva HandiHaler (generic: tiotropium bromide inhalation powder) is an inhaler for long-term treatment of bronchospasm linked with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This disease is commonly described as emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

There has been an increased concern over the use of Topamax – a treatment for migraine headaches and for epilepsy – during pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk of birth defects. There have been reports of birth defects like cleft palates, cleft lips, genital defects.

Besides the anecdotal reports, the respected medical journal Neurology published an article—albeit with a small cohort—that found that women who used Topamax to prevent seizures associated with epilepsy had a much higher incidence of delivering babies with birth defects.

While the study included only 203 pregnancies (178 children), the data found that women who used Topamax while pregnant had babies born with cleft lips or palates 11 times more frequently than you would otherwise expect. These children had genital defects at a rate 14 times higher than would be expected. Of the 178 babies, 16 had major birth defects.