When we are prescribed a pharmaceutical drug by our doctors, we trust that the drugs we are taking will help treat our medical condition, not that they will cause additional health complications, some of which may be extremely serious or even life threatening. Some drug injuries occur because of inherent problems with a dangerous or inadequately tested drug and many times, these dangerous side effects don’t appear until months or years after their usage has become widespread.
While almost any pharmaceutical drug can cause unintended side effects, there are a handful of drugs that have caused a great deal of harm and have led to the vast majority of drug injury claims in recent years.
Invokana
Invokana and Invokamet are pharmaceutical drugs manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceutical, a division of Johnson & Johnson, for the treatment of Type II Diabetes.
These drugs have been subject to a number of lawsuits over the years relating to the increased risk of kidney failure and ketoacidosis. Recent research also suggests that patients taking Invokana or Invokamet are twice as likely to undergo a lower limb amputation versus those with diabetes who are not taking these medications.
Xarelto
Xarelto is an anticoagulant medication used to prevent blood clots following hip or knee replacement surgery. Thousands of claims have been filed against Janssen Pharmaceutical, the manufacturer of the drug, and Bayer Healthcare, the marketer of the drug, by individuals who have suffered severe internal bleeding as a result of using this medication.
There is no known cure to reverse the type of blood loss associated with using Xarelto, other than a possible emergency dialysis. While this problem can affect anyone using Xarelto, those with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension are at a greater risk for experiencing internal bleeding.
Actos
Actos is a Type II Diabetes medicine meant to help patients manage their blood sugar levels. This drug, manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, is now linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer in patients that have taken the drug for more than a year, along with a handful of other serious side effects, such as congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema.
This drug was on the marketplace for 13 years before the FDA required that patients be warned about these potentially life-threatening dangers.
Taxotere
Taxotere is a chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of a number of cancers, although it is most commonly associated with the treatment of breast cancer. This drug is manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis and is used to help prevent cancer cells from growing and dividing.
While chemotherapy treatment is often associated with hair loss, it is only temporary and should start to grow back a few months after stopping treatment. But, for as many as 15 percent of women receiving Taxotere, the hair loss is permanent. While permanent hair loss is not a painful or serious condition, it can be an emotionally devastating side effect, especially when there are a number of alternative drugs that are just as effective, if not more effective, and do not cause permanent hair loss.
Drug Injury Claims
These are just a few of the drugs that have led to high number of drug injury claims due to unintended side effects, improperly tested medication, misrepresentation by the manufacturer, or failure to warn patients. If you or a loved one has been harmed by these or any other pharmaceutical drug, then you should contact the drug injury lawyers at Fears Nachawati to discuss your case, and we will work to help you hold the responsible parties accountable.
Contact the experienced legal team at Fears Nachawati for a free, no obligation legal consultation to discuss the specifics of your Taxotere case. Please call (866) 705-7584, or visit the offices of Fears Nachawati located throughout the great state of Texas, including in Houston, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, and San Antonio.