Dangerous Drug Attorneys in Pennsylvania

Abilify is an anti-psychotic drug that is often prescribed for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, Parkinson's disease and autism spectrum disorders. According to the FDA, it is the top selling anti-psychotic drug in the United States.

Unfortunately, several studies have linked the use of Abilify to uncontrollable urges and compulsive behaviors such as excessive gambling. A gambling addiction can be crippling and cause emotional and financial devastation to Abilify patients and their families. If you or a loved one has been impacted by side effects of Abilify, call our Pennsylvania personal injury law firm today.

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) are used to decrease the generation of gastric acidity which occurs in conditions such as peptic ulcers, acid reflux, GERD and other gastrointestinal conditions. They are available as both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Popular brand name PPIs include Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid and Protonix.

Long term use of these medications has been associated with chronic kidney disease and Acute Interstitial Nephritis (AIN). Acute Interstitial Nephritis is a condition where the spaces between the tubules of the kidney cells become inflamed. While some individuals can recover, many suffer from some level of permanent kidney function loss.

If you or someone you love has experienced kidney injury as a result of using PPI’s, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit. Contact our drug injury lawyers for a free case review.

Approved in March 2013, Invokana (canagliflozin) is an SGLT2 inhibitor used to treat adults with Type 2 diabetes. The drug is manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. SGLT2 inhibitors work to prevent high blood sugar by helping the patient’s kidneys remove excess sugar through their urine.

In May 2015, the FDA issued a safety advisory, warning that the drug has been linked to cases of ketoacidosis, a serious condition where there is too much acid in the blood. Complications of this condition include nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, confusion and severe fatigue. Diabetic ketoacidosis can even lead to diabetic coma or death.

First introduced in 1996, Lipitor is one of the best-selling prescription drugs in the world. Lipitor is part of a class of drugs called "statins," which prevent the liver from creating an enzyme that helps to produce cholesterol. This reduces the body's levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is commonly known as the "bad cholesterol" that is linked to heart disease.

In recent years, Lipitor and other statins have been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, especially in women. Many otherwise healthy middle-aged and older women who were taking Lipitor have since been diagnosed with diabetes, a medical condition that requires intensive monitoring, additional medication, and significant lifestyle changes. Most frustratingly, diabetes increases the risk of heart disease - the very issue that Lipitor was marketed to prevent - as well as blindness, neuropathy and kidney disease.

Lipitor's manufacturer, Pfizer, has been the target of lawsuits alleging that the company knew that the drug causes increased blood glucose levels, which can lead to diabetes, and still marketed the medication as effective and safe. Moreover, plaintiffs allege that Pfizer failed to provide adequate warning, perform studies of the drug that were adequate before it was introduced and conduct reasonable surveillance of problems reported by Lipitor uses after the drug's introduction.

If Pfizer had provided proper warnings, patients would have been able to mitigate the risk of diabetes either by choosing not to take Lipitor or they could have closely monitored their blood glucose levels for any signs of adverse effects on the metabolism.

Thousands of patients may have been hurt by Pfizer's negligence in selling and marketing this drug. If you've been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after taking Lipitor, contact Metzger Wickersham today. Our attorneys will help you explore your options for legal recourse.

Risperdal, or its generic equivalent risperidone, is an antipsychotic medication that has been on the market since 1993. This medication was originally approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults; years later, in 2006 and 2007, the FDA approved the drug to treat additional conditions including schizophrenia in children, behavioral disorders caused by autism in children, and bipolar disorder in both adults and children.

The use of Risperdal has been associated with several debilitating side effects, especially gynecomastia - the development of breasts in young boys. Young males with this condition may suffer from pain or experience nipple discharge. The development of breast tissue is usually permanent, requiring surgery to correct. Moreover, boys who develop gynecomastia often suffer significant psychological trauma.

Lawsuits regarding Risperdal have alleged that Johnson & Johnson engaged in unethical marketing practices, such as paying doctors to speak favorably of Risperdal. It's especially troubling that the company may have promoted Risperdal to children's doctors as early as 2003, years before the drug was approved for any use in children.

The issues surrounding Risperdal are a stark reminder that injuries from a dangerous drug can have life-altering consequences, even after use of the drug itself has been stopped.

If you or your child has been injured by Risperdal use, contact Metzger Wickersham today at (717) 268-4288.

Products containing talcum powder have been at the center of several class-action lawsuits over the past few years due to talcum's connection to ovarian cancer. Many women's reproductive systems have been exposed to talcum powder when it has been sprinkled on undergarments and sanitary pads to keep the groin area comfortable. Some birth control products have also been sprinkled or coated with talcum powder.

An alarming amount of published medical research indicates that talc-based powders are associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer when used on the vaginal area long-term.

Johnson & Johnson, which uses talc in two products, Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, has been at the center of several lawsuits. Plaintiffs have argued that the company failed to warn consumers, especially women, of the dangers associated with talc, which one expert claims is involved in 10,000 cases of ovarian cancer every year.

In some cases, women have been able to sue Johnson & Johnson for damages even if they have not been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. If you have used products containing talc on a long-term basis, call or fill out the online contact form to tell us what happened.

Taxotere (docetaxel) is a chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of breast cancer and other types of cancer. It is administered intravenously and is a member of a family of drugs called taxanes. While some level of hair loss is expected during chemotherapy, it has been discovered that patients undergoing chemotherapy with Taxotere may experience permanent hair loss. Cancer patients using this drug were not warned that permanent hair loss was a potential side effect.

These lawsuits are based on the grounds that Taxotere’s manufacturer, Sanofi-Aventi, failed to warn patients and physicians of the increased risks of the drug. If the manufacturer had issued a warning about the risk of permanent hair loss, patients could have been prescribed a different chemo drug.

Although the drug has not been recalled, in December 2015 the FDA did acknowledge that Taxotere can result in permanent hair loss, and this warning must now be placed on the Taxotere label

Testosterone Replacement Therapy products such as the prescription topical treatments AndroGel, Testim and Axiron, are used to help boost testosterone levels in men who have a deficiency of the hormone. However, TRT products have been linked to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and even death.

Researchers found that men who used Testosterone Therapy were 30% more likely to experience heart attack or stroke after three years of use - and some studies even claim that men are at a significantly increased risk of these conditions after as little as 90 days of use. If you have used any TRT products and experienced an injury, contact our firm for a free case evaluation.

On the market since 2011, Xarelto is one of the newest anticoagulants (blood thinners) available today. Xarelto is made by Bayer and marketed in the United States by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. As with most blood thinners, excessive bleeding is a common complication of Xarelto use - after all, the purpose of the drug is to prevent blood from clotting. However, while the effects of most blood thinners can be reversed in an emergency situation with antidotes, no antidote exists to counter the effects of Xarelto.

Blood thinners such as Xarelto are commonly prescribed to treat medical conditions such as atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat), deep vein thrombosis (blood clots deep inside the body), pulmonary embolism, and stroke. Patients are also sometimes given Xarelto after undergoing knee or hip replacement surgery.

Xarelto has been linked to severe and potentially fatal side effects including internal bleeding in the brain, eyes, stomach and gastrointestinal tract, as well as wound infections and excessive blood loss. Many former Xarelto users have alleged that they were not sufficiently warned of the potential dangers. Lawsuits have also alleged that Johnson & Johnson marketed the drug as superior to otherblood thinners despite the much higher rates of internal bleeding and failed to make medical professionals aware of methods to stabilize and treat Xarelto users in the event of complications.

People who are currently taking Xarelto should seek medical attention right away if they are hurt. If you’ve suffered a bleeding complication or lost a loved one due to Xarelto use, contact Metzger Wickersham today to discuss your legal options. We may be able to help you file a product liability or wrongful death claim.