Pharmaceuticals
Florida pharmaceutical product injury lawyers focusing on pharmaceutical liability throughout Florida including the greater Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas.
Injuries that occur as the result of the use of prescription drug products or over-the counter supplements simply should not happen. Consumers who are directed by their physicians to use a specific pharmaceutical product trust that the medication will improve their condition, not worsen it. And many patients do not realize that they are putting their bodies at risk by consuming FDA-approved drugs.
Unfortunately, many of the drugs that hit the market are rushed through the approval process without adequate testing. When cases of severe injury start to accumulate, defective drugs are publicly recalled. Drug companies with a hot new product are often in a hurry to market their product and get it in the hands of consumers as quickly as possible. But with aggressive pharmaceutical litigation, drug manufacturers are held accountable and ordered to pay millions to injured consumers.
When drug companies fail to create a safe product and ignore their duty to consumers, the attorneys at Chalik & Chalik stand up for the injured. If you believe you have suffered injury or illness after taking any of the following defective drugs, contact a Florida defective drug attorney at Chalik & Chalik.
Below are lists of Recalled or Discontinued Drugs or Products and Other Drugs that Can Cause Serious Side-Effects.
Recalled or Discontinued Drugs or Products
The following medications and health products have been discontinued by their manufacturers and/or pulled from the market by the FDA.
Baycol
Recalled in the United States in Aug. 2001 due to numerous reports of serious side-effects, disease, and deaths. Baycol was used to lower cholesterol.
Bextra
After being linked to serious and potentially life-threatening conditions such as heart attack, stroke, liver problems, and gastrointestinal toxicity, the FDA recalled Bextra in April 2005. A COX-2 inhibitor, Bextra was used as an anti-inflammatory drug to treat arthritis. Also see Vioxx.
Fen-Phen
In 1997, the FDA ordered the withdrawal of fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine from the U.S. market. "Fen-Phen" was a weight-loss drug linked to reports of heart valve problems, primary pulmonary hypertension, and neurotoxicity of the brain.
Lotronex
This prescription drug was given to women with irritable bowel syndrome. It was recalled in Nov. 2000 after being connected with serious side-effects such as obstructed bowels and ischemic colitis (which causes inflammation of and damage to the colon).
PPA
Phenylpropanolamine or "PPA" was recalled by the FDA in Nov. 2000 as it has been linked to severe side-effects including hemorrhagic stroke. However, PPA had also been used in numerous over-the-counter weight control products, nasal decongestants, and cold and flu medications. In Dec. 2005, the FDA issued a notice to reclassify PPA as "not generally recognized as safe and effective."
Propulsid
People took this medication to relieve nighttime heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux disease, but adverse cardiovascular reactions and other problems that could lead to death were reported. The manufacturer discontinued Propulsid in Dec. 2000.
ReNu with MoistureLoc
In May 2006, manufacturer Bausch and Lomb pulled this contact lens solution from the market after eye doctors began to see a rare and serious form of fungal infection called Fusarium keratitis present itself in patients. The common denominator among patients was they were contact lens wearers who used ReNu with MoistureLoc products. Left untreated, the infection can damage the cornea and cause loss of vision requiring corneal transplant. For more information, see our Bausch and Lomb Recall page.
Rezulin
Recalled in March 2000 after Rezulin was determined to cause serious liver damage and cirrhosis of the liver, which can cause death. Was used to treat Type II diabetes.
Serzone
Suspected as the cause of liver damage, liver failure and death, the antidepressant Serzone was pulled from the U.S. and Canadian markets by manufacturer Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2004. However Nefazodone is still available as a generic medication.
Vioxx
After being connected to serious and potentially fatal side-effects such as heart attack, intestinal damage, and a fatal skin disease called toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), Vioxx was taken off the market in Sept. 2004. Like Bextra, Vioxx was a COX-2 inhibitor used to treat arthritis pain and inflammation.
Other Drugs that Can Cause Serious Side-Effects
The following medications and health products remain on the market, however they have been linked to serious side-effects.
Accutane
Approved by the FDA, this medication, used to treat the most severe cases of acnes, has been known to cause depression as well as other psychiatric problems, some leading to suicide. Can cause birth defects.
Celebrex
Celebrex is a prescription anti-inflammatory arthritis drug which has been thought to cause serious health conditions such as stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular problems. Other serious problems include bleeding stomach ulcers and liver damage. The FDA issued an alert in 2005 that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Naiads) such as Celebrex contain a boxed warning on the product packaging alerting consumers to the possible adverse side-effects.
Ephedrine
This dietary supplement has been linked to serious conditions including cardiovascular problems, stroke, and kidney disease. Ephedra is used as a stimulant in over-the-counter weight-loss and muscle-building products.
Meridia
A widely prescribed diet drug, Meridia has been linked to hundreds of cases of adverse side-effects including increased blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, and death.
Prempro
Prempro is a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medication prescribed to women suffering from menopausal symptoms and other ailments. HRT studies suggest that taking medications such as Prempro can substantially increase risk of serious and life-threatening side-effects including stroke, blood clots, heart attacks, lupus, scleroderma, severe asthma, and pulmonary embolisms. Studies also suggest that HRTs may bring about certain types of cancers in individuals with a family history, including breast cancers, ovarian cancer, and gallbladder cancer.
Zyprexa
In 2003, the FDA forced the manufacturer of this antipsychotic medication to list the serious side-effects it can cause on a warning label. Zyprexa has been determined to possibly cause serious conditions such as diabetes, pancreatitis, hyperglycemia, and ketoacidosis. In a recent class action lawsuit, Eli Lilly agreed to pay injured users an astonishing $690 million in damages.
Help Keep Our Pharmacy Shelves and Medicine Cabinets Safe
Help keep unsafe drugs off the market by holding the drug manufacturers responsible for the products they release to the public. If you have suffered injury after taking a defective drug, call or email the Florida pharmaceutical liability attorneys at Chalik & Chalik for your complimentary legal consultation.
For more information, please see our Prescription Drug Injuries FAQs.