Before becoming LegalReader's Editor-in-Chief, Jay W. Belle Isle worked as a freelance copywriter with clients on four continents. Jay has a degree in Business Administration from Cleary University and a Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Jay has also worked as a contracts administrator for a DOD contractor specializing in vehicle armor.
News is surfacing that may indicate an additional warning needs to be added to Xarelto’s label. Cases of liver damage in patients taking the drug have been reported. The current warning does not mention liver damage but that information is available through non-manufacturer sites.
William L. filed suit against 3M and Arizant Healthcare, Inc. claiming that their Bair Hugger caused him to develop an infection requiring additional surgeries and leaving him with permanent injuries. A patient warmer, the Bair Hugger blows hot air right onto the patient’s exposed skin during surgery.
The risk of pain is serious enough that the FDA added a new “Warning and Precaution” to the labels of all drugs in this class. These include sitagliptin, saxagliptin, linagliptin, and alogliptin. The FDA issues warning about type 2 diabetes drugs and joint pain, stating that the pain may be severe and disabling.
C.R. Bard settles vaginal mesh lawsuits for $200M. This agreement comes after five years of expensive legal battles. Over 3,000 women claiming that implantation of Bard’s bladder or vaginal sling caused them injuries filed the suits being settled. The products are commonly used in surgeries treating stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse. This isn’t
Lovaza, a popular prescription Omega-3 fish oil, may cause subdural hematoma. Omega-3s, essential for human health, may also contribute to increased risk of bleeding. As many who suffer from chronic subdural hematoma are elderly and, therefore, more likely to need Lovaza, this risk increases. To date, GSK’s warning does not include subdural hematoma.
Another Zofran lawsuit has been filed against GlaxoSmithKline alleging that the drug causes birth defects. G.K., a male child, was born without one kidney. He is also missing the connective tissues that would make a kidney transplant possible. Other birth defects include a deferens that is not fully functional, a defect that may limit G.K.’s sexual function as an adult and make it impossible for him to father a child.
The first Cymbalta withdrawal symptom case was decided in favor of Eli Lilly, the drug’s maker. The claim was that Eli Lilly did not adequately warn patients of the risk of severe withdrawal symptoms on cessation of the medication. Cymbalta withdrawal symptoms are far more common than Lilly reported, according to an FDA advisory committee. These symptoms include electrical sensations in the brain, known as brain zaps, as well as the feeling that things are crawling under the patients’ skin. The outcome of this trial may help determine the course of the remaining hundreds of Cymbalta withdrawal symptom cases.
Last year’s bar exam passage rates hit an historic low. We’re waiting for September and the release of July’s bar scores. Another low passage rate may confirm the NCBE’s opinion that law students are getting dumber. Those of us in the real world think that the low scores are showing that the system is broken and that many qualified would-be lawyers aren’t getting the chance to practice due to an antiquated exam that has nothing to do with real world law practice. Could this be the last gasp of the bar exam?
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as Cipro and Levaquin, can cause permanent, debilitating side effects. These side effects include fluoroquinolone antibiotic neuropathy, also known as peripheral neuropathy, tendinopathy (the painful inflammation of tendons and tendon rupture. Blurred vision may also occur. In many instances, these side effects persist long after the drugs have been discontinued.
A French study shows that the risk of life threatening or uncontrollable bleeding events in patients using Xarelto are no greater than that in patients using Warfarin. However, the study warns that the fact that no reversal agent exists for the effects of Xarelto does not make it safer than Warfarin.