Fresenius Medical Care, manufacturers of GranuFlo and NaturaLyte, also owns numerous dialysis centers across the country. One of those facilities, the Bessemer Kidney Center in Alabama, has been shut down following the deaths of two patients and the hospitalization of others. This is not good news for Fresenius, which also faces hundreds of GranuFlo and NaturaLyte injury lawsuits.
From Bad to Worse
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, along with the Alabama Department of Public Health, are investigating the causes of two patient deaths and the hospitalization of several other patients after they underwent dialysis at the company’s Bessemer Center. For now, that center is closed. However, the situation has gone from bad to worse. According to a recent report in al.com, 11 other Fresenius-owned dialysis centers in Alabama have been cited with deficiencies over the past two years in Foley, Alexander City, Huntsville, Fairhope, Gardendale, Opelika, Prattville, Tuskegee, Mobile and Selma.
Reports of facility deficiencies come on the heels of the company’s recall of GranuFlo and NaturaLyte, acid concentrate solutions manufactured by the company and used in its centers, which contained unsafe levels of bicarbonate. According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration recall, the solutions carry a risk of injury and even death from conditions such as low blood pressure, hypokalemia, hypoxemia, hypercapnia and cardiac arrhythmia. It is estimated that over 1,000 Fresenius patients may have suffered serious injuries at the company’s dialysis centers over the past two years, and numerous lawsuits have been filed against the company for manufacturing a defective and dangerous product.
Have You Been Injured?
If you or a loved one has been injured by GranuFlo or NaturaLyte side effects while undergoing hemodialysis, it’s important to know that you may have legal recourse. Contact The Driscoll Firm, LLC, to evaluate your legal options and determine whether you might be entitled to compensation for your, or your family member’s, injuries.
