The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk are no longer investigating Fentora Lawsuits.  The information on this page is provided for information purposes only.

Fentora (fentanyl buccal) tablets were approved in September 2006 and nearly 80,000 prescriptions were written the first year the drug was on the market.  The tablets are designed to be placed in the mouth against the gum so that they can dissolve and enter the blood stream.

The powerful opioid painkiller is only approved to treat cancer patients with severe or breakthrough pain which can not be managed with other drugs.  In addition, it  is also only supposed to be prescribed to those who have become tolerant of other opioid treatments.  However, many have been prescribed Fentora “off-label” for treatment of less severe pain, such as headaches, migraines, back pain and short term problems.

FENTORA OVERDOSE PROBLEMS

Fentora problems have been linked to the use of the fentanyl tablets by non-cancer patients and poor dosing instructions which have led to many doctors prescribing dangerous amounts of the drug.  Cephalon, Inc., the maker of Fentora tablets, may have failed to provide adequate warnings and information about the risks of overdose and death.

In September 2007, a warning letter was sent to healthcare providers and the FDA issued a public health advisory regarding problems with Fentora overdose.  There have been several reported deaths linked to the use of the drug, and the manufacturer agreed to work with the FDA to add stronger warnings to the drug’s label and to provide better dosing instructions about the amount of the drug which should be prescribed.

Fentora is a newer drug which is seen as a successor to Actiq lollipops, which are made by the same pharmaceutical company.  Actiq delivers the fentanyl in a lozenge on the end of a stick which is sucked on like a lollipop.  As a result of poor dosing instructions, many doctors have prescribed Fentora at the same dose as Actiq.  However, Fentora delivers more fentanyl to the blood, which could result in overdose if it is prescribed at the same doses as Actiq.

FENTORA CLASS ACTIONS AND INDIVIDUAL LAWSUITS

The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. previously reviewed potential lawsuits for Fentora overdose and death cases. However, after examining the potential litigation, new cases and clients are no longer being accepted.