State lawmakers have said the plan is to investigate regulatory precautions that could have been used to avoid the tragedy. The Texas Department of Public Safety has since taken a harsher stance, pledging to investigate every aspect of the explosion, including the possibility of criminal mischief.

The fertilizer plant explosion shook the small town of West, killing 14 people and injuring 200 more while destroying dozens of homes and buildings. The cause of the fire that led to the explosion is still unknown.

Public Citizen originally expressed concern in 2009 that Byetta showed signs of causing pancreatitis during testing. A 2011 study confirmed that patients who use Byetta are 6 times more likely to develop pancreatitis, and also linked the drug to thyroid and pancreatic cancer.

Manufacturer Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has yet to issue a Byetta recall, despite the Byetta side effects discovered in studies. The company could face several Byetta lawsuits from patients alleging that the diabetes drug caused pancreatitis or cancer.

Zoloft is one of the most-prescribed drugs in the U.S., though many doctors have voiced concerns about Zoloft’s side effects. In particular, women who use Zoloft during pregnancy face an increased risk of giving birth to a child with severe birth defects.

Zoloft birth defects include persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), omphalocele, anencephaly, heart defects and brain defects. Many patients have filed Zoloft lawsuits alleging that the drug’s manufacturer failed to warn doctors and patients of the increased risks of Zoloft birth defects.

The fertilizer plant caught fire for an unknown reason and burned for nearly an hour before the fire traveled to a chemical tank. The tank then exploded, creating a blast that could be heard up to 40 miles away. At least 15 people died in the blast and hundreds more were injured.

Several blocks of West were destroyed in the blast, including dozens of buildings, homes, an apartment complex and a retirement center. Media reports have already discovered several safety concerns regulators were unaware of at the time of the fertilizer plant explosion.

The FDA added a warning to the Byetta label in 2007 regarding the increased risk of pancreatitis. The agency is now investigating risks associated with Byetta and other diabetes medications known as “incretin mimetics,” which stimulate the production of insulin.

Byetta accounted for more than $300 million in sales in 2012. Amylin Pharmaceuticals could face Byetta lawsuits alleging that the diabetes medication caused patients to develop pancreatic cancer.

Thousands are expected to attend the funeral, held in nearby Waco, TX because the town of 2,700 does not have a venue large enough. The blast injured nearly 200 people and destroyed nearly 100 buildings in the small town.

Federal agents have begun an investigation into the explosion and the Obama administration has designated West as a national disaster area. No known cause has been determined for the fire or explosion, though arson has not been ruled out.

At least 82 mine workers from the Iron Range have died from mesothelioma in the recent years. Research revealed that every additional year a worker stays in the taconite mines increases their mesothelioma risk by 3%. Research has yet to pinpoint the exact substance in taconite responsible for the mesothelioma.

The primary cause for mesothelioma is asbestos exposure, which can occur in mines, factories or buildings where the carcinogenic material was used. Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer that attacks the lungs or abdominal cavity and can take decades to develop.

Cooper’s lawyer alleges that Takeda Pharmaceuticals — the manufacturer of Actos — knew the diabetes drug could increase the risks of bladder cancer as early as 2004, but did not alert the Food and Drug Administration until 7 years later. More than 25% of the company’s revenue came from Actos the year regulators warned patients of increased cancer risks.

Takeda Pharmaceuticals is facing more than 3,000 Actos lawsuits, according to court records. Patients who took Actos for at least 2 years are at an increased risk of developing bladder cancer by as much as 60%.

The Environmental Protection Agency fined West Fertilizer in 2006 after the plant failed to file a risk management program plan on time. The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration also fined West Fertilizer $10,000 last summer for safety violations.

Despite having flammable anhydrous ammonia in the plant, West Fertilizer filed a safety plan with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last year stating that it was not handling flammable materials and did not have sprinklers, fire walls or other safety mechanisms in place.

Emergency personnel immediately began transporting victims to nearby hospitals as firefighters from across the state rushed to put out the blaze. The town evacuated the 5-mile radius around the plant, as schools, churches and private citizens have opened their doors to the misplaced.

The blast could reportedly be felt as many as 45 miles away, and registered on seismographs hundreds of miles away. Some experts have also noted the explosion could have released toxic gasses and materials into the air over West. The cause of the initial fire is unknown, though authorities have not ruled out negligence or arson.