Defective Drugs & Medical Devices

The following defective products/dangerous drugs have either been recalled or warnings have been issued regarding the serious side effects, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful deaths they may pose for users:

• Actos – Manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Actos is a prescription medication used with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults with type 2 diabetes. The FDA has stated that use of the diabetes medication Actos® (pioglitazone) for more than one year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer. Often used an alternative to Avandia, some consumers also claim increased incidents of heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure, and even death while using the drug.
• Bextra – Manufactured by Pharmacia Corporation and distributed by Pfizer, Bextra is a treatment for arthritis and joint disorders (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and dysmenorrhea). It is linked to high incidences of heart attacks, strokes, and potentially fatal skin conditions.
• Celebrex – Manufactured by Pfizer, Celebrex is a COX-2 inhibitor and used in the treatment for arthritis and pain (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and dysmenorrhea). It is linked to high incidences of heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.
• Crestor – Manufactured by Astra-Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Crestor is a cholesterol-lowing drug. It is linked to rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle fibers that can lead to kidney damage.
• Ephedrine/Ephedra – Ephedrine is a treatment for weight loss and an energy supplement. It has a high amount of caffeine or other stimulants that place the user at an increased risk for serious side effects, including heart attacks, strokes, seizures, psychosis, depression, and death.
• Fosamax – Manufactured by Merck, Fosamax is prescribed for bone loss (osteoporosis). It is linked to an increased risk of jaw bone death (osteonecrosis [ONJ], an infection and eventual rotting of the jawbone).
• Guidant Defibrillators – Manufactured by Guidant Corp. and Medtronic, Inc., Guidant Defibrillators are medical devices used to detect and treat tachycardia (when the heart beats too fast or irregularly) and fibrillation (ventricles quiver ineffectively so the heart pumps little or no blood), and to prevent sudden cardiac arrest. It is linked to defects (wire issues [Sprint Fidelis leads], electrical and computer memory errors) that can cause them to malfunction and prevent the life-saving shock defibrillator patients rely on.
• Power Morcellation – Used by gynecologists for procedures like a myomectomy or hysterectomy, a power morcellator is able to break masses of large tissue into smaller fragments so they can easily be removed after the procedure by a vacuum or comparable tool. The cancer issue arises by thee fact that if some of the tissue was cancerous that was broken up and is left behind, it is capable of spreading and developing into numerous tumors.
• Pradaxa – manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim, Pradaxa (dabigatran) is used to help prevent blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation (condition in which the heart beats irregularly, increasing the chances of clots forming in the body, possibly causing strokes) without heart valve disease. It is often used as a replacement to the blood thinner Coumadin. It is linked to internal bleeding, ulcers, cerebral hemorrhage, life-threatening bleeding, and death.
• Paxil – Manufactured by SmithKline Beecham, Paxil (SSRI) is an antidepressant used to treat depression, anxiety, panic, obsessive-compulsive activity, and post traumatic stress in adults. It is linked to birth defects, extreme acts of violent behavior (akathisia), and suicides.
• Testosterone – Used as “low-T” treatments, various products on the market are the forms of pallets, injections, gels, patches and more as a replacement of testosterone. Some of these treatments have been linked to serious cardiac problems, leading to side effects such as stroke and heart attacks.
• Trans-Vaginal Mesh – Usually made of the plastic ‘polypropylene’, it is used to fix serious conditions that women face such as stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. By July of 2011, there were 4,000 instances of problems post-surgery such as injury and death.
• Vioxx – Manufactured by Merck, Vioxx is used as a Rheumatoid arthritis treatment. It is linked to an increase risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.
• Xarelto – Marketed by Janssen, Xarelto is an alternative to warfarin, used as a blood thiner to treat patients for problems such as block coronary arteries. Has been documented to pose users with heightened bleeding risk.
• Yaz – Manufactured by Bayer HeathCare Pharmaceuticals, Yaz is a popular oral contraceptive (birth control) and can also be used to treat acne and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The drug contains drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, a bioactive form of estrogen. It is linked to incidences of heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, pancreas, gall bladder damage, and even death.
• Zyprexa – Manufactured by Eli Lilly, Zyprexa is a treatment for mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder). It is linked to an increased risk of diabetes and other complications.

The pharmaceutical drug litigation, defective products, and medical negligence attorneys at Zimmerman & Frachtman have the experience and skill to successfully represent the victims of drug side effects, prescription errors, drug injuries, medical device malfunctions, false advertising, and other pharmaceutical litigation matters.

How To Know If You Have A Case

While there are many injuries caused by defective drugs that do end up in a lawsuit, there are people who suffer adverse effects of a drug and do not have sufficient evidence for a claim. Legal claims from defective drugs occur when the pharmaceutical manufacturer of a specific drug knowingly produced and sold a defective product and/or failed to warn the public of the side effects.

You may have an allergic reaction to a prescription drug, but this does not guarantee that you have a legal claim. However, it is still recommended to consult with an experienced South Florida drug pharmaceutical attorney to ensure that you receive compensation for any justifiable legal claims for defective drugs.

Class Action Defective Drug Lawsuits

In the state of Florida, there are time limits set for product liability cases which includes defective pharmaceutical cases. In most cases, you have four years to file a defective drug lawsuit after the time of injury.

Because these types of cases can be quite complicated and lengthy, it is important to consult with a South Florida drug pharmaceutical lawyer so that they have time to Iinvestigate your case and determine the correct compensation that you are entitled to.

Filing On Behalf Of A Family Member

It is possible to file on behalf of a deceased family member but it would fall under a wrongful death lawsuit.

Contact Our Florida Defective Drug Attorneys

If you or a loved one has been injured or has died due to a dangerous drug or defective product and would like to learn more about your legal rights, please contact us here or call (954) 509-1900. We offer free consultations and charge you only if we win your case.