Articles Posted in Product Liability

As a DePuy ASR Recall and DePuy Pinnacle Replacement attorney, I have written extensively about the inherent problems associated with metal on metal hips like the DePuy ASR, Pinnacle hip relacement models and others made by Biomet, Zimmer, Smith and Nephew and Wright.

According to the FDA health experts there is no compelling reason to continue using metal-on-metal hip implants. There is overwhelming and mounting evidence that these metal on metal devices can break down early and expose patients to dangerous metallic particles, a condition known as metallosis.

FDA Expert Panel Report

As a Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella pulmonary embolism attorney, I have written extensively about the venous thrombo-embolism (VTE) side effects from Drospirenone containg oral contraceptive pills.

Beyaz is an oral contraceptive approved by the FDA in 2010, that contains folate (0.451 mg of levomefolate calcium). It is a “fourth generation” form of birth control that contains drospirenone, a new type of synthetic progestin. Drospirenone has been linked to potentially deadly side effects, including pulmonary embolism (PE), Deep Vein Thrombosis and Stroke.

What is Beyaz?

As a DePuy ASR hip implant recall and DePuy Pinnacle attorney, I have written previously about our experience with clients who had metal on metal hip replacement problems, particularly DePuy ASR, DePuy Pinnacle and Biomet Magnum models.

Metal on metal hip replacements according to experts, have been implanted in at least 500,000 Americans. Now these experts are alarmed and concerned that these metal on metal hips may be failing earlier than expected.

These devices have been the subject to two significant recalls in recent years: the 2008 recall of Zimmer’s Durom Acetabular Component because of inadequate instructions for use, and the 2010 recall of the DePuy ASR Total Hip due to higher-than-expected revision rates.

Beyaz is an oral contraceptive approved by the FDA in 2010, that contains folate (0.451 mg of levomefolate calcium). It is a “fourth generation” form of birth control that contains drospirenone, a new type of synthetic progestin. Drospirenone has been linked to potentially deadly side effects, including pulmonary embolism (PE) and stroke.

What is Beyaz?

Beyaz belongs to the “fourth generation” of birth control pills that contains drospirenone. Other contraceptives in this class include Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella, Gianvi, Loryna, Zarah, Safyral, and Syeda.

According to the latest published medical research, women on combined hormonal birth control drugs, including the NuvaRing vaginal ring, and Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella birth control pills, may face a significantly higher risk of a heart attack or stroke compared to users of other forms of hormonal birth control.

New England Journal of Medicine June 2012 Study

The New England Journal of Medicine published a study on June 14, which suggests that these forms of birth control that contain a combination of estrogen and progestin can double a woman’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Victoza, one of newer diabetes drug has been associated with a number of serious side effects including Thyroid Cancer, Renal (Kidney) Failure and Pancreatitis.

What is Victoza?

Victoza (liraglutide) is a once-daily, injectable diabetes drug used to help control blood sugar (glucose) in adults with type 2 diabetes.Victoza, made by Novo Nordisk, is an injectable diabetes medication that belongs to a class of drugs that mimic a hormone GLP-1.

Recently plaintiff attorneys have filed a motion to consolidate Pradaxa lawsuits that are currently on file in the U.S. District Courts federal court system.

The motion requests the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict litigation (JPML) to create a MDL (multidistrict litigation), for all Pradaxa product liability lawsuits.

There are more than 20 lawsuits filed against Pradaxa drug manufacturer, Boehringer Ingelheim. All of the lawsuits allege that the drug maker failed to adequately warn about the side effects of Pradaxa.

According to Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)’s Ethicon unit, the company has announced in a letter this week that it intends to stop selling four vaginal mesh implants. The letter was sent to the court overseeing the Vaginal Mesh lawsuits.

Johnson & Johnson said it has requested approval from the Food and Drug Administration to stop “commercializing” the devices

FDA Warnings

DePuy ASR metal on metal hip implant recipients in states with a 2 year Statute of Limitations, may lose their rights to file a lawsuit if they do not file their lawsuit before August 23, 2012. J&J’s DePuy unit recalled its 93,000 ASR hips worldwide in 2010, including 37,000 in the U.S., saying more than 12 percent of the devices failed within five years. Over 6,000 lawsuits in federal and state courts describe patients in pain and immobilized by joint dislocations, infections and bone fractures.

What is Statute of Limitations?

Every state has a law called the statute of limitations (SOL) that sets a limited time period in which a lawsuit can be filed. The reason for this law is that the courts want to have a finite time for folks to bring claims and not have an unending litigation time period. If a person with a legal claim fails to have a lawsuit filed within this time period, then their claim can be forever lost.

What is Infuse?

The Medtronic Infuse bone graft is a genetically engineered liquid protein that helps the body to grow its own bone. It includes a bioengineered protein manufactured by Wyeth, called bone morphogenetic protein (BMP).

Scope of the Infuse Problem