Drugs & Medical Devices Under Investigation
Below is a list of drugs and medical devices facing allegations for defects that have seriously injured patients:
- Xarelto - Xarelto is a new-generation blood thinner that has been linked to serious and life-threatening bleeding incidents without an antidote to limit bleeding damage.
- IVC Filter - Inferior Vena Cava Filters, or IVC Filters, are small web-like devices implanted in the in vein of patients at risk of blood clots, which may lead to damage such as a pulmonary embolism. However, these devices have been linked to migration, vein penetration, and fracture, leading to serious complications.
- Physiomesh (hernia mesh) - Physiomesh is a hernia mesh product made by Ethicon, a Johnson & Johnson company. These hernia mesh products are allegedly linked to adhesions, obstructions, migration, infections, and hernia recurrence.
- Talc Powder (baby powder) - Talc powder is used in common products such as baby powder and cosmetics, but this common product has also been linked to ovarian cancer.
- Essure - Essure is a non-surgical permanent birth control option that is less invasive than tubal ligation, but several Essure patients report that they have suffered serious pain, bleeding, organ perforation, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, and unwanted pregnancies.
- Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics - Several common antibiotics have been linked to aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections. The antibiotics linked to these side effects include Avelox, Levaquin, and Cipro.
- Hip Implants - Several metal-on-metal hip implants have been linked to serious side effects including hip implant failure, hip dislocation, metal poisoning, cancer, and tissue death.
- Shoulder Implants - Shoulder implants have been linked to a high fracture rate, metal toxicity, bone and tissue damage, erosion, and dislocation.
- Invokana - The diabetes drug Invokana has been linked to serious side effects such as kidney failure and ketoacidosis.
- Heartburn Drugs - A class of heartburn medications known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) allegedly increase the chance of developing chronic kidney disease and an increased risk of a heart attack or heart failure. PPI heartburn drugs include Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, Dexilant, Protonix, and Aciphex.
Types of Drug Injuries
Drugs are designed to treat a wide variety of health conditions. Therefore, drug side effects widely vary based on the type of drug and an individual’s reaction to it. Some common side effects of drugs include nausea, gastrointestinal issues, skin reactions, drowsiness, and antibiotic rash.
The manufacturers of drugs and medical devices are required to list the common medication side effects associated with the product on the product’s label. This information allows a consumer to know if the drug side effects they are experiencing are normal or if medical attention is necessary. Failure to seek medical attention for dangerous prescription side effects may lead a person to suffer a catastrophic drug injury, which may have lifelong effects and diminish a person’s quality of life.