Lipitor (atorvastatin), Pfizer’s best selling cholesterol drug, was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996 and quickly became one of the company’s best-selling drugs. Lipitor has generated over $125 billion in sales for Pfizer. However, it is now being linked to type 2 diabetes in women over 50. What Is Diabetes? Our bodies use insulin to break down glucose for energy. When we eat food, our body breaks down sugars and starches into glucose, which is… Read More
The Driscoll Firm Legal Blog Archive
The first DePuy Orthopaedics hip implant injury trial representing a complaint consolidated in MDL (multi-district litigation) will begin in June 2013. The bellwether trial comes on the heels of the first non-MDL DePuy hip implant trial, in which a jury awarded the plaintiff $8.3 million in damages. What the Bellwether Trial Means to You DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, faces thousands of lawsuits over its metal-on-metal ASR XL Acetabular Hip Implant and ASR Hip Resurfacing System, which… Read More
A growing number of women over the age of 50 are claiming that they developed Type II diabetes after taking Pfizer Inc.’s cholesterol drug Lipitor. They allege that Pfizer knew that Lipitor increased their risk of developing diabetes, but failed to warn them. Several lawsuits have already been filed against Pfizer, and plaintiffs are now seeking to consolidate their Lipitor diabetes lawsuits in MDL (multi-district litigation). Motion Filed for Lipitor MDL Numerous lawsuits have been filed against Pfizer by a… Read More
Merck & Company’s intrauterine device (IUD) NuvaRing has been linked to an increase in blood clots, pulmonary embolisms, strokes, heart attacks and more. The pharmaceutical giant is defending approximately 1,250 NuvaRing injury lawsuits, and injured victims will soon get their day in court, as trials are set to begin in October 2013. The Dangers of Third- and Fourth-Generation Progestins Third- and fourth-generation birth control products contain progestins that were not in earlier generations of birth control. Women were told that… Read More
Pfizer’s best-selling cholesterol drug, Lipitor, has generated over $125 billion in sales – partially due to the company’s advertisements touting a healthy lifestyle. However, Lipitor may not be so beneficial for women over 50 years old, as studies have shown that it increases their risk of developing Type II diabetes. Study Shows Lipitor May Increase Risk of Diabetes by Nearly 10% Pfizer has long maintained that Lipitor (atorvastatin) is safe and effective for lowering cholesterol and helping to prevent the… Read More
Drug and medical device companies are not allowed to provide kickbacks to doctors in exchange for using their products. While the federal False Claims Act specifically prohibits this practice, manufacturers continue to engage in the illegal activity. The U.S. Government recently announced its second civil fraud lawsuit against Novartis AG in four days, accusing a unit of the Swiss drug maker of paying multimillion-dollar kickbacks to doctors in exchange for prescribing its drugs. Outrageous Corporate Behavior at the Expense of… Read More
The first of over 3,000 Actos bladder cancer lawsuits to go to trial resulted in a $6.5 million jury verdict against Japanese drug maker Takeda Pharmaceutics for failing to provide an adequate warning that its diabetes drug could cause bladder cancer. However, a judge later threw out that verdict on the basis of a doctor’s testimony. Although unfortunate, it is not the end of the road for Actos bladder cancer lawsuits. California Jury Said Takeda Should Have Warned Consumers A… Read More
According to Fox Business News, Michigan-based Stryker Corporation has reported a 13% drop in earnings due to numerous medical device recalls, including its Rejuvenate and ABG II modular-neck hip stems – now the subject of many product liability lawsuits against the company alleging that metal components cause fretting, and corrosion and may lead to metal poisoning. Stryker Metal Poisoning Stryker recalled its Rejuvenate and ABG II implant systems in 2012 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received complaints… Read More
Bayer Pharmaceuticals has been battling it out in court over whether the patent for its controversial fourth-generation birth control pills, Yaz and Yasmin, is valid. Although generic Yaz became available in January of 2012, it was pulled off the market pending patent litigation. An appeals court recently ruled that Bayer’s patent was not valid, so generic Yaz is now back on pharmaceutical shelves – despite the drug’s known health risks. Drospirenone Increases Risk Of Fatal Blood Clots Regardless of whether… Read More
The recent consolidation of numerous personal injury lawsuits stemming from injuries over Bayer AG’s intrauterine device (IUD) Mirena is good news for current plaintiffs and may help pave the way for other women who have experienced Mirena IUD side effects. Here is what the consolidation means to you. Mirena Injury MDL Lawsuits filed across the nation against Bayer over serious Mirena IUD injuries have been consolidated into Multidistrict Litigation (MDL), with an initial conference set for mid-May of 2013. According… Read More
