Latest News
Actos linked to higher bladder cancer risk, health agency says
Health Canada—the country’s health regulator—has issued a statement warning that patients who used the type II diabetes drug Actos for more than one year are at an increased risk of bladder cancer. The agency is requiring manufacturer Takeda Pharmaceuticals to immediately update the drug’s label to reflect the increased risk. More »
Bayer to pay $110 million in Yasmin and Yaz lawsuit settlements
The manufacturer of Yaz and Yasmin will pay more than $110 million to settle nearly 500 lawsuits alleging that Yasmin caused blood clots in patients who used the drug. Bayer Pharmaceuticals is facing more than 11,000 Yasmin and Yaz lawsuits, according to a recent filing by the company. More »
FDA to assemble expert panel review of metal-on-metal hip implants
The Food and Drug Administration announced plans to hold a two-day expert panel review of metal-on-metal hip implants, including the DePuy ASR hip replacement. The panel will consist of doctors and researchers who have worked closely with all-metal devices. More »
Manufacturer sold transvaginal mesh device without FDA approval
Recent lawsuits have alleged that Johnson & Johnson manufactured and sold a transvaginal mesh device without first receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration. Lawyers in these lawsuits allege that the company sold the Gynecare Prolift device as early as 2005, though the FDA did not approve the device until 2008. More »
Prominent cardiologist voices concerns over Crestor diabetes danger
Top cardiologist and professor Eric Topol has warned patients and doctors of a sharp increase in the risk of type II diabetes linked to the widespread use of Crestor and other statins. Topol argued in a New York Times op-ed that the benefit-to-risk ratio is too narrow for patients who do not have a history of heart problems to take Crestor. More »
Mesothelioma death toll rises to 141 at British factory
At least 141 former employees of the British York Carriageworks have died from mesothelioma, according to former trade union official Paul Cooper. The estimate could actually be higher, says Cooper, because it only includes workers who stayed in York, England after they stopped working at the factory and who received a mesothelioma diagnosis. More »
States investigate Abbott for possible illegal Depakote marketing
Attorneys general from eight states have formed a committee to investigate potentially illegal marketing practices by the manufacturer of the anti-epileptic drug Depakote. The states involved—Texas, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania—believe Abbott Laboratories may have violated state consumer protection laws by illegally marketing the drug for unapproved uses. More »
J&J ordered to pay $1.1 billion in Risperdal lawsuit
Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $1.1 billion concerning claims by the state of Arkansas that the company hid the health risks of the antipsychotic drug Risperdal from doctors and patients. The verdict is the drug company’s third consecutive loss in Risperdal lawsuits in state courts regarding the marketing of the drug. More »
FDA’s Yasmin and Yaz Blood Clots Warning is a Victory for Consumers, says Hissey Kientz, LLP
The Food and Drug Administration’s decision to strengthen warnings about the risk of blood clots from using Yaz and Yasmin is a victory for consumers, says the law firm of Hissey Kientz, LLP. On April 10, 2012, the FDA announced that it would add stronger warning labels to Yaz, Yasmin and similar birth control pills about the risk of blood clots these drugs can cause. More »
Judge’s ruling on Texas damage caps limits plaintiffs’ rights
A federal judge in Texas has upheld a 2010 recommendation that limits the amount of money for non-economic damages that can be awarded to plaintiffs in medical malpractice lawsuits. The 2003 Texas law—a controversial form of tort reform called damage caps—limits the amount of money a plaintiff can be awarded for pain and suffering, distress and loss of life at $250,000. More »