The Lipitor diabetes lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are investigating potential claims for women throughout the United States who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after taking the blockbuster cholesterol drug. While many of these otherwise healthy women took Lipitor to help reduce their risk of heart disease and maintain their healthy lifestyle, they are now left with an increased risk of serious health problems associated with diabetes. Read More
Late last week, Intuitive Surgical sent a letter to hospitals and doctors warning about a risk of problems from the da Vinci surgical robot, where invisible cracks may develop in certain instruments. This may cause patients to suffer severe electrical burns to the bladder, bowel or other internal organs during robotic surgery, posing a serious and potentially life-threatening risk.
Although the manufacturer is not directing hospitals to stop performing da Vinci robotic surgery or removing the defective instruments from the market, the FDA should classify this action as a da Vinci robot recall, as it appears that use of components may pose a risk of serious adverse health consequences or death. Read More
The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are providing free consultations and case evaluations for families of children who suffer Effexor heart defects. These serious and potentially life-threatening heart problems may have been prevented if adequate warnings had been provided about the risks associated with using Effexor during pregnancy.
Effexor (venlafaxin) is an antidepressant that is part of a class of medications known as “serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors” or SNRI. It was originally approved by the FDA in 1993 for treatment of major depressive disorders, anxiety disorder and other related conditions. Amid aggressive marketing it has become a widely used medication, generating billions in profits for Pfizer and their Wyeth subsidiary.
Although serious concerns have existed about the potential for heart defects from Effexor use by pregnant women, the drug makers have promoted the antidepressant as safe and effective for use during pregnancy.
Studies and case reports have suggested that side effects of Effexor may increase the risk of heart problems and congenital defects for off-spring exposed before birth, yet this information has been withheld from users and the medical community.
As a result of Pfizer’s decision not to adequately warn about the risks, financial compensation and settlement benefits may be available for children who suffered heart defects or malformations from Effexor.
To learn more about these lawsuits and what rights may be available for your child, contact the Effexor lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. to review the circumstances surrounding the birth and any medical problems you suspect may have been caused by exposure to Effexor before birth.
After contacting our office, if our attorneys believe that your child may be eligible to pursue an Effexor heart defect lawsuit, it is your decision whether to pursue the case through our law firm.
If you do hire our attorneys to move forward with the case and pursue Effexor settlement benefits, there are never any out-of-pocket fees or expenses paid by our clients.
All cases are handled under a contingency fee agreement, which means that our lawyers receive no attorneys fees or expenses unless we are successful obtaining a recovery for the child. Contingency fees allow families to obtain the quality legal representation their child deserves, regardless of their financial means.
As we have written on this blog several times this year, a growing number of studies have suggested a link between problems with Depakote and lower I.Q., as well as other developmental delays, autism and potential birth defects/malformations. In the face of this mounting evidence, the FDA issued a warning this week about use of Depakote during pregnancy.
In a drug safety communication issued on May 6, the FDA has provided new warnings about the risk of Depakote problems for children exposed to the medication during pregnancy. The FDA has contraindicated the use of Depakote and other valproate-based medications for treatment of migrains by pregnant women, indicated that the risks for the child outweigh the benefits of preventing migrains.
These warnings provide further support for the Depakote lawsuits being reviewed by our product liability lawyers, who are continuing to offer free consultations and claim evaluations for families of children who have experienced health issues that may have been caused by Depakote problems, including:
- Low I.Q.
- Cognitive Problems
- Autism
- Developmental Delay
- Spina Bifida
- Cleft Palate
- Other Birth Defects or Malformations
Depakote Lower I.Q. Warning
The new FDA warnings were issued after the agency reviewed a recent study that indicates side effects of Depakote may lower I.Q. scores for children whose mother were prescribed the drug while pregnant. Therefore, the agency has changed the pregnancy category for Depakote migraine use from “D” (indicating that the potential benefit of the drug may be acceptable despite the risk) to a category “X” pregnancy drug (indicating that use of Depakote in pregnant women to treat migrains clearly outweighs the possible benefits).
Although the risk of I.Q. problems with Depakote appears to exist whether the drug is used to treat migrains or other conditions, the agency has maintained the pregnancy category D for Depakote use among epileptics and those suffering manic episodes associated with bi-polar disorder.
The agency has indicated that Depakote and other valproate-based drugs should only be prescribed if other medications were not effective and urges women of childbearing age to use effective birth control while taking Depakote.
Among the valproate drugs affected by the warning are:
- Depakote, Depakote CP and Depakote ER (divalproex sodium)
- Depacon (valproate sodium)
- Depakene and Stavzor (valproic acid)
Depakote I.Q. Lawsuits
The FDA indicates that it is working with the manufacturers to update the Depakote warning label to better describe the risk of lowered I.Q., and that it will continue to update the public as information becomes available.
It appears that the drug makers knew or should have known about the link between Depakote and I.Q. problems for some time, financial compensation may be available for children as a result of the failure to provide adequate information to women and the medical community.
To review a potential claim for yourself, a friend or family member who may have experienced problems from Depakote exposure, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
A motion has been filed to consolidate all Byetta lawsuits, Victoza lawsuits, Januvia lawsuits and Janumet lawsuits brought throughout the federal court system on behalf of individuals who developed pancreatic cancer after using any of the diabetes drugs, asking a panel of federal judge to centralize the cases in one court for coordinated handling as part of an MDL, or Multi-District Litigation. Read More
A new report by the CDC suggests that there could be an increase in pedestrian deaths from auto accidents in coming years, as the population in the United States continues to age, resulting in decreased resistance to injury and more foot traffic. Read More
The Depakote lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing lawsuits for families of children diagnosed with autism, developmental delay or severe birth defects following use of the epilepsy drug during pregnancy. This month, another study has been published providing further support for the link between side effects of Depakote and autism among children exposed to the medication before birth. Read More
The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are pursuing Lipitor lawsuits over Pfizer’s failure to adequately warn about the diabetes risk associated with their blockbuster cholesterol drug.
At this time, claims primarily involve healthy women diagnosed with diabetes on Lipitor, with a BMI under 30, as there are serious questions about the effectiveness of the drug for women with a health body weight. If adequate information about the Lipitor diabetes risks had been provided, few such users would have elected to take Lipitor, and it appears that the potential benefits do not outweigh the risks. Read More
A federal multidistrict litigation, or MDL, has been established for all Mirena IUD lawsuits filed in U.S. District Courts throughout the country. All complaints filed throughout the federal court system involving allegations that the Mirena IUD migrated after insertion will be transferred to U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel in the Southern District of New York for coordinated proceedings. Read More
A recent report on PBS highlights the problems transvaginal mesh products are causing for many women throughout the U.S., detailing how these devices were introduced without clinical studies by exploiting the FDA’s 510(k) fast-track medical device approval process. Read More
