Safety Alerts

Anti-Depressant Medications

Drugs such as Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox, Prozac & Zoloft have been linked to an increased risk of heart birth defects in children born to mothers who took this class of drugs in the first trimester of pregnancy.  Paxil, in particular, has been linked to intestinal and abdominal birth defects, as well as abnormally-shaped skulls.  We are currently investigating cases involving these drugs.  Contact us if you have taken an anti-depressant during pregnancy.

Fosamax

Fosamax is a prescription drug used to prevent and treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.  A link has been reported between Fosamax and a serious bone disease called Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ).  This is a disfiguring and debilitating condition that presents with pain, swelling, infection, loosening of teeth, drainage and exposure of bone.  Fosamax has also been linked to femur fractures.  We are investigating cases involving this drug.  Contact us if you have taken Fosamax and suffered either a femur fracture or had jaw trouble.

Nexium

In 2010, the FDA issued a safety alert concerning an increased risk of fractures associated with the use of prescription proton pump inhibitors (PPI’s), a class of drugs that includes Nexium.  We are investigating cases involving this drug.  Contact us if you have taken Nexium or any other PPI and suffered a fracture.

Yaz Birth Control

Yaz birth control pills have been linked with increased potassium levels in the blood, which lead to heart rhythm disturbances that can cause blood clots and lead to sudden cardiac death, pulmonary embolism and/or stroke.  These pills can also cause significant problems with the gall bladder, leading to gall bladder removal.  We are investigating cases involving this drug.  Contact us if you have taken Yaz Birth Control and have had a heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism, DVT or had to have your gall bladder removed.

Reglan

Reglan is a drug used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, such as heartburn caused by reflux.  The FDA recently required a “black box warning” to be issued, linking Reglan with a medical disorder called Tardive Dyskinesia.  The symptoms of this disorder include involuntary and repetitive movements, such as tongue thrusting, eye blinking and head jerking, as well as involuntary movement of the fingers.  The symptoms have no known treatment and the condition is rarely reversible.  We are investigating cases involving this drug.  Contact us if you have taken Reglan and been diagnosed with the symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia.

DePuy Hip Replacements

DePuy Orthopedics, owned by Johnson & Johnson, recalled parts used for hip replacements in August 2010.  An estimated 93,000 individuals are affected by this recall.  The affected parts include the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System and the DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System, and patients are experiencing a variety of symptoms, including pain, swelling and difficulty walking.  In some cases, metal debris is being spread throughout the hip joint.  We are investigating cases involving these recalled artificial hip replacements.  Contact us if you believe you have been harmed by a DePuy replacement hip.

Transvaginal Mesh

The FDA has warned doctors and patients that the placement of mesh during surgery to treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence may present complications, including erosion of the mesh into the vagina, organ perforation, pain, infection, painful sexual intercourse and incontinence.  We are investigating  cases involving mesh manufactured by American Medical Systems, Bard, Boston Scientific, Caldera and Johnson & Johnson.  Contact us if you believe you may have been harmed by transvaginal mesh.

Darvocet

The painkiller Darvocet, also known by its brand name, Darvon, and its generic name, propoxyphene, has been pulled from pharmacy shelves after the drug was linked in studies to serious heart problems.  The leading studies found that the drug can cause disruptions to the heart's electrical activity, leading in turn to heart attack.  This is an old drug, marketed and used in the United States for more than 50 years, and there is no accounting at this point for how many people it may have affected.  Our firm is investigating cases involving the use of this drug.  If you or a loved one have taken Darvocet and suffered from heart problems, contact us.