Tag: dangerous drug

Birth Defects Attorneys: Study Links Topiramate to Oral Birth Defects

While pregnant, women need to be especially careful about what foods and medications that they put into their bodies. Early in the first trimester, while many women are not even aware that they are pregnant, the baby is at a heightened risk for birth defects due to medications being ingested by their mother. Our birth defects attorneys have been writing for months about the drug Topamax and its connection to cleft lip and palate birth defects.

Mothers Taking Active Ingredient in Topamax Three Times More Likely to have Children with Birth Defects

new jersey philadelphia birth defects attorneys topamax topiramate studiesA recent study called Comparative Safety of Topiramate During Pregnancy, performed by researchers from Harvard University, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, and Loyola University in Chicago, has come to the conclusion that topiramate increases chances of birth defects. According to the study, women who take the active ingredient in the medication Topamax during their first trimester of pregnancy increase the risk of their children being born with major oral birth defects. The study analyzed statistics of 6,456 pregnant women and “compared the frequency of adverse pregnancy outcomes for those who had used topiramate during their first trimester to a control group.” The results were that the children whose mothers took topiramate were almost three times more likely to be born with a birth defect, 3.8 %, than the mothers who did not, 1.3 %.

Birth Defects Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If you are a pregnant and currently taking Topamax or any drug containing topiramate, speak with your doctor as soon as possible about other, safer options. If you are a parent who has recently given birth to a child who suffers from a birth defect that you believe can be attributed to a prescription drug, contact the Mininno Law Office to speak with birth defects lawyers and discuss your legal rights. You may also call for a free case evaluation and consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Drug Recall: Morphine Sulfate 60 Mg Extended Release Tablets

The FDA has issued a recall today for morphine sulfate tablets because a certain batch was found to contain double the dosage as found in a single pill.  The warning from the FDA is as follows:

ETHEX Corporation notified health care professionals of a voluntary recall of a single lot of morphine sulfate 60 mg extended release tablets (Lot No. 91762) due to a report of a tablet with twice the appropriate thickness. Oversized tablets may contain as much as two times the labeled level of active morphine sulfate. The lot was distributed by ETHEX Corporation under an “ETHEX” label between April 16th and April 27th of 2008. Opioids such as morphine have life-threatening consequences if overdosed. Consequences can include respiratory depression (difficulty or lack of breathing), and low blood pressure. Many patients for whom this product is prescribed are likely to be highly debilitated with reduced strength or energy as a result of illness, and may be less likely to determine that a tablet is overweight or oversized than an unimpaired individual. If consumers have any questions about the recall, they should call their physician, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

Read the MedWatch 2008 safety summary, including a link to the firm’s press release regarding this issue at:
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Morphine

This “double thickness” issue also prompted the massive Digitek recall earlier this year.  The heart drug was recalled after a wide range of disturbing side effects were noted in patients, including low blood pressure, reduced heart rate and death.

Obviously, double coated morphine has the potential to cause similar injuries in users.  If you have noticed any of the side effects listed above after taking morphine, it is extremely important that you file a report with the FDA.

Furthermore, if you have been seriously injured as a result of taking this defective product, you may have rights against the drug manufacturer. To speak with a defective product attorney, please call (856) 833-0600 in NJ or (215) 567-2380 in PA or fill out the free case evaluation form on the left side of the page.
You will be contacted immediately for a free case evaluation.

Is There Anyone Out There Testing Prescription Drugs BEFORE They Hurt People?

Drug manufacturer B. Braun Medical Inc. was forced to recall the blood thinning drug Heparin this week after reports surfaced that the Chinese import may be contaminated. This is the second manufacturing company in the past two months to recall the widely used blood thinner. Manufacturer Baxter International temporarily recalled the drug last month after patients complained of severe allergic reactions, including difficulty breathing and extreme drops in blood pressure, which can lead to “life threatening shock’. Four people have also died after the administration of Heparin, although the relationship between the drug and the contaminated vials has yet to be determined.

While Heparin is generally made of pig intestines and animal tissue, the recalled products were found to contain oversulfated chondroitin sulfate, a man made chemical that is not normally found in the drug’s chemistry. I find it also very coincidental that these contaminated drugs were imported from China-the same country that has recently brought us toxic toys and contaminated dog food. What’s more disturbing is that financial reports show that Chinese companies who manufacturer the drug have experienced a 13.7 % sales increase this year alone, thus earning a whopping $57.8 million in the first half of 2007.

With profits such as those mentioned above, I would venture to say that the Chinese manufacturers will not be cleaning up their act any time soon. Unfortunately, this seems to be a growing trend with pharmaceutical giants and drug manufacturers. It’s easier to sell the drug first, make an insane amount of money and then apologize later when people start to die or get sick. It appears that no amount of bad PR or medical malpractice suits will scare these companies into operating any differently. They will simply pay for the damages and create another drug for the doctors to release on the unsuspecting public. After all, our doctors have our best interest at heart when they prescribe these drugs…right? I’m not so convinced.

Free Legal Advice: Medical Malpractice