Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer

Was Heparin Contamination Deliberate?

Jamie Sheller — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:23:58 GMT

It almost seems unimaginable that a company would risk the lives of many innocent people to simply save a buck and cut costs. But now that has become the focus of the Heparin Recall. The synthetic ingredient that was added to the heparin cost approximately $9 per pound. Compared to the authentic ingredient that cost nearly $900 per pound. Although the synthetic version can be made to look just like the authentic, its missing the actual active component that helps save lives. In this case, it caused various allergic reactions, including death. Who's to blame for this catastrophe? US citizens blame the FDA for not effectively regulating the foreign companies that supplied the ingredients for the Heparin. The FDA blames Baxter Company for not inspecting its supplier more often. Whether its the FDA, Baxter, or their supplier is irrelevant to the ones whose lives have been harmed or worse yet lost by something that was preventable. Most importantly, someone should be held accountable for allowing this tragedy to occur. For more information on this topic, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/health/policy/30heparin.html?ref=health If you or a loved one have suffered an injury from Heparin, you owe it to yourself to consult an attorney to discuss your legal rights.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Double Potency of Digoxin Tablets Result in Injury

Jamie Sheller — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:53:15 GMT

Digoxin tablets, sold under the name Digitek, are used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms in patients. Recently some of the tablets were found to contain twice the amount of active ingredient. Digoxin overdose can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, cardiac instability, bradycardia and death. Mylan Pharmaceutical has recalled the product in response to several reports of illness and injury from patients taking Digitek. For more information about this recall visit: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Digitek

If you have experienced adverse side effects as a result of taking this product, you should contact an attorney immediately to discuss your legal rights.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Trasylol Recall Problems

Jamie Sheller — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:25:55 GMT

Rockville, MD: Earlier this month, Bayer announced that it was recalling remaining Trasylol stocks from the US market. The move comes after repeated studies found that patients given Trasylol during open heart surgery had a higher risk of kidney failure, strokes and death than patients given a different drug.

The recall of Trasylol was foreseeable, given all the studies linking the drug to severe adverse reactions and leading many people to wonder why Bayer and the FDA took so long to recall Trasylol?

Bayer has allegedly known for a long time that there were problems with Trasylol. After all, the company "mistakenly" failed to give the FDA results of its own clinical study. That study linked Trasylol to an increased risk of strokes, congestive heart disease and kidney failure. Worse, even though Bayer representatives appeared at an FDA meeting to discuss possible risks associated with Trasylol, those representatives did not mention the clinical trial or its result.

Despite this, Trasylol stayed on the market and was allowed to continue harming patients.

In 2006, two studies were published that confirmed the risks of serious adverse reactions to patients given Trasylol. One of the studies, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, concluded that stopping the use of Trasylol would prevent between 10,000 and 11,000 cases of kidney failure requiring dialysis a year. Furthermore, $1 billion a year in dialysis costs would be saved.

Despite this, Trasylol stayed on the market and was allowed to continue harming at least 10,000 patients a year.

In 2007, a Canadian study was halted early because researchers felt it was no longer ethical to continue after patients given Trasylol had a higher risk of dying than patients given a different drug.

In response, Bayer stopped selling Trasylol. However, the drug had been on the market for 14 years. If Trasylol caused 10,000 cases of kidney failure a year for 14 years, at least 140,000 people were harmed by the drug. But that only counts patients who suffered kidney failure after being given Trasylol-it does not count patients who suffered strokes or other heart problems, and there are likely many of those.

Finally, in 2008, two studies were released that once again showed the high degree of risk associated with the use of Trasylol. One study found that 6.4 percent of patients given Trasylol died within 30 days of their open heart surgery. The second study found that patients given Trasylol had a 64 percent higher risk of death than patients given a different drug.

Finally, all remaining stock of Trasylol was recalled. But this came much too late for many patients.

The results of the clinical trial should have been enough to stop Bayer from marketing Trasylol. Instead, however, Bayer went ahead with Trasylol and allowed it to be given to countless patients during open heart surgery. Now, many of those patients have suffered serious adverse reactions and some have died. They should not have been exposed to a drug with such high risks in the first place.

Patients who suffered adverse reactions to Trasylol, as well as those who have had a loved one die after being given the drug, are now in the process of filing lawsuits against Bayer, alleging the company was not honest about the risks associated with the drug.

If you or someone you love were harmed by Trasylol, you may be eligible to join a lawsuit against Bayer. Contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Young Drivers still driving unbuckled!

Jamie Sheller — Fri, 23 May 2008 14:27:55 GMT

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently reported that in 2006, 68% of drivers and passengers ages 16 to 20 who where killed in nighttime car crashes were unbuckled. Compared to 57% of the young drivers and passengers killed in automobile accidents during the day. Based on these statistics, the NHTSA intends to continue their Click it or Ticket campaign. Hopefully, this will spread the message about how seatbelts save lives. Visit http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20080520_68__of_young_drivers_killed_at_night_unbuckled.html for more information about this story.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Patients Experience Difficulty Trying to Obtain Medical Records

Jamie Sheller — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:22:00 GMT

Under federal law, every patient or a designated representative has the right to see and copy the patient's medical records. However, according to USA Today's Patient Safety website, missing or disputed records are the most common source of complaints about inadequate medical care. Patients often complain that their ability to bring a lawsuit against hospitals or medical providers was hampered by those providers obstructing access to the medical records. When records appear to be incomplete, the patient or family may need an attorney to assist them in obtaining the records. Visit http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-04-29-medical-records_N.htm for more information.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Insulin Pumps Linked to Teen Injuries

Jamie Sheller — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:03:54 GMT

Insulin pumps are the size of a small cell phone and worn on a belt or pocket. They send insulin into the body through a plastic tube. Thousands of teenagers with Type 1 diabetes use the pumps. A review by the FDA finds that use of the pumps can be risky. Although different injuries have been connected to the pump, malfunctioning was not the only problem. At times, teens were using the pump improperly. Type 1 diabetes affects numerous people. Insulin regulates the blood sugar levels to keep them from getting too high. Teens enjoy using the pumps versus the traditional injections because they are more discreet. Parents are advised to monitor their teens to make sure the device is being used properly. For more information about this story visit http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24456042/

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Digitek Recalled from the Market

Jamie Sheller — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:23:56 GMT

Digitek, also known as Digoxin, is a medication used to treat congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. It is available via prescription under a number of brand names, including Digitek.

On April 25, 2008, Digitek was subject to a nationwide recall when it was discovered that all oral strength tablets of Digitek contained twice the approved level of active ingredient. Before it was recalled, the double-strength Digitek tablets were reported to have caused a number of injuries, including cardiac instability and death.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Do you know the safest seat in the car for your child?

Jamie Sheller — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:36:00 GMT

Studies have revealed that the safest position for your child who sits in a safety seat is located in the center of the back seat. Apparently, infants and toddlers who were positioned in the middle of the back seat suffered less serious injuries in side impact car accidents. The studies were based on children who were age three and younger. Parents can go to local child safety seat inspection stations, where inspectors will give advice on properly using the seats. Many online resources exists to instruct parents on keeping their children safe in the car. Visit that National Highway Traffic Safety Administration http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm to learn more information.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Does Your Teen Have Enough Experience to Drive Safe?

Jamie Sheller — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:33:48 GMT

If you asked your teen about their level of driving skills, most would answer that they are near expert level. But you, of course, know that their response is pretty far from the truth. According to a recent article in the Journal of Pediatrics, most teens feel they have had enough time behind the wheel to be safe. Contrary to this belief, statistics show that teen drivers are at the highest risk of being in a car accident within six months of obtaining their drivers license. In fact, car crashes remain the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 to 24. With the rise in electronic distractions, its no surprise that teens are often the victims of fatal car crashes. Between cell phones, ipods, dvds, and blackberries, teens are targeted with more devices that can make it difficult to concentrate on the road. As parents, we can continue to enforce the message that driving under the influence of anything -- texting, talking, drinking, or drugs -- is dangerous for everyone on the road.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Lending Tree Security Breach Affects More than 56,000 people in Baltimore

Jamie Sheller — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:04:34 GMT

The Baltimore Sun reports that State records show the personal information of about 56,000 people in just Maryland alone was compromised by former employees of Charlotte, N.C. based Lending Tree.

The Baltimore sun further reports the security breach was disclosed by the company in an April 17 letter to the Maryland attorney general's office. An internal investigation revealed the former employees supplied passwords for company databases containing customer information to three mortgage brokers in California. However, consumers were not notified until April 21... why the delay?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller