The FDA Darvocet recall and Darvon recall was long overdue. These drugs have been on the market for over 50 years. The FDA memorandum dated November 19, 2010 on the darvocet recall sets forth some science on Darvocet that should be helpful in understanding the dangers of this drug.
First, Darvocet is cardiotoxic when used as directed on the label. That means that when used as directed Darvocet causes chemical changes in the heart that affect its electrical system. These changes in the heart’s electrical system can cause heart arrythmias. In some cases these unnatural heart rhythms can cause ventricular fibrillation. This means that your heart stops pumping blood. This can and does frequently result in sudden cardiac death. This is probably the cause of most of the deaths from Darvocet aside from overdoses. A disruption of the heart’s electrical system from Darvocet could also cause atrial fibrillation which could trigger a stroke or heart attack from a blood clot. An electrocardiogram or EKG is the test that is used to detect heart rhythm malfunctions.
The FDA report points out that elderly people or people with reduced kidney or renal function are most likely at risk for propoxyphene-induced cardiotoxicity. Individuals with pre-existing arrthymias would also be at increased risk. That is because those individuals are less able to naturally clear the toxic substances from their bodies. However, the most recent study shows that even healthy individuals taking normal doese were at risk of heart failure and sudden death from Darvocet.
The good news for Darvocet patients is that the medical literature does not indicate that Darvocet has a latent effect after the drug is discontinued. The FDA also observed that there does not appear to be a cumulative effect on the heart after the person stops taking the drug. There has not been much study of this question because most of the scientific reports and literature on Darvocet and Darvon have focused on treatment of overdose in emergency rooms. Since Darvocet and Darvon are opiates and are addictive many deaths may have been attributed to opiate overdoses causing respiratory failure and may not have been closely investigated.
I expect that most of the individual lawsuits and class action lawsuits that are being filed will involve sudden cardiac death cases. A cardiac arrythymia caused by Darvocet or Darvon should be treatable most of the time without permanent damage in most cases. However, it is possible that heart malfunction for a temporary period could cause health damage of other types. For example, lack of blood to the brain or other organs during the period of heart dysfunction could cause significant permanent problems. This would be the basis of a negligence or product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the drug.
I would be happy to discuss the science or legal issues with anyone that would like to comment or email or telephone me.
Darvocet Recall
Car Accident Lawyer
Auto accidents remain the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 34. Each year, 40,000 people lose their lives in auto crashes. The resulting psychological, economic, and physical toll places tremendous strain on families and individuals alike. If the accident is not stressful enough, the aftermath can be a nightmare dealing with issues such as medical treatment, car repairs, mounting hospital bills, lost time from work, and lost wages. Yet, the decisions you make during this stressful period can have lasting impact upon you and your family.
If you’re involved in an accident what should you do?
Call the Police immediately
Fill out an accident report thoroughly
Obtain names and phone numbers of witnesses
Seek medical treatment even if you feel ok at the scene (your adrenaline may mask a serious injury)
Florida Accident Lawyer
Darvocet Recall Attorney
Drug safety advocates have been calling on the FDA to recall Darvocet since 1978. Finally, they’ve called for the recall of Darvocet and Darvon from the markeplace. These drugs, found to be less effective than other pain killing drugs, have been recalled for their potentially deadly consequences.
Darvocet is cardiotoxic when used as directed on the label. That means that when used as directed Darvocet causes chemical changes in the heart that affect its electrical system. These changes in the heart’s electrical system can cause heart arrythmias. In some cases these unnatural heart rhythms can cause ventricular fibrillation. This means that your heart stops pumping blood. This can and does frequently result in sudden cardiac death from heart attack. This is probably the cause of most of the deaths from Darvocet aside from overdoses. A disruption of the heart’s electrical system from Darvocet could also cause atrial fibrillation which could trigger a stroke or heart attack from a blood clot. An electrocardiogram or EKG is the test that is used to detect heart rhythm malfunctions.
Pope Benedict why Condoms Instead of Child Abuse?
Pope Benedict XVI has received a lot of ink this week about his thoughts on condom use. The thoughts come from a book length interview he gave to journalist Peter Seewald. Unfortunately, the condom issue has received the bulk of the news headlines rather than the ongoing problem of priest sexual abuse. The sexual abuse of our children can’t be tucked neatly in a corner and forgotten. It’s an ongoing crisis that darkens the cavernous walls of the Catholic Church even as some hierarchs attempt to move beyond it. It’s not going away and we still have no message from the Church that they are willing to deal with it in a substantive, worldwide fashion. No words can sufficiently assuage the suffering of countless children who’ve suffered at the hands of Catholic priests, brothers, and sisters who’ve abused them. It’s time for action. Pope Benedict needs to act rather than issue apologies to those who’ve endured these criminal acts. The time is now.
Darvocet Recall
Darvocet Recall Lawsuit Information
Darvocet Recall
http://www.saunderslawyers.com/darvocet-recall/darvocet-recall-lawsuit.html
Depuy Hip Recall
The first major hearing on the individual lawsuits and class action lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson for the recall of the DePuy ASR XL hip implants took place in Durham, North Carolina on Thursday, November 18, 2010. The federal judges on the U.S. Judicial Panel for Multidistrict Litigation heard arguments from lawyers for Johnson and Johnson as well as lawyers for consumers who were injured or who are affected by the recall. The hearing was to determine whether all the lawsuits should be coordinated before one federal judge for pretrial management, and if so, which judge should be assigned to handle the cases.
Depuy Hip Recall
Lawyers from across the country attended the hearing. Many consumer trial lawyers also met privately with each other to share information that had been accumulated about the recall and to determine how to best represent injured consumers.
It is clear from evidence shared among attorneys in Durham that Johnson & Johnson had known about an unacceptably high failure rate for the DePuy ASR for several years prior to the recall and that the product should have been recalled much sooner. The Australian National Joint Replacement Registry had shown unacceptably high failure rates for the DePuy ASR for several years.
Depuy Hip Implant Recall
The most seroius health risk from the DePuy ASR is the exposure of patients to high levels of chromium and cobalt metal debris from the implants. The poor design of the ASR XL causes too much pressure on the edges of the cup causing excessive wear which releases metal debris into the patients hip. Chromium and cobalt occur naturally in the body at very low levels. However, the high levels released by the DePuy ASR are toxic to the tissues in the hip. These toxic metals can also damage other organs of the body. Medical studies of chromium and cobalt exposure in industrial setting have show that these metals are toxic to the liver, kidneys, and brain. This has not yet been proven with respect to the DePuy hip but it is a possible risk. Chromium has been shown to be a human lung carcinogen in industrial settings but no studies have yet been done with regard to the DePuy ASR failures.
Depuy Hip Replacement Recall
Consumer trial lawyers, including myself, and Johnson & Johnson are recommending blood testing of DePuy ASR patients for the presence of these toxic metals to determine the amounts of exposure and help physicans made medical decisions about whether and additional surgery is needed to replace the DePuy ASR with another hip implant of a different kind.
I think any DePuy ASR patient should get legal and medical advice immediately even if there are no symptoms because there is a risk of toxic exposure to from the metal debris that can be created by the hip implant. Health damage from the toxic metal exposure may not show up for long periods of time.
There are strict time limits for filing claims against Johnson & Johnson and DePuy that will bar claims that are late. These time periods for filing vary by states and circumstances so I can’t give a specific deadline in this article. Each case needs an individual analysis by an attorney experienced in medical product liability cases to determine the required filing date. I am happy to provide individual case analysis at no fee, cost, or obligation.
Depuy Hip Recall Lawsuit
DePuy Hip Problems
The DePuy ASR hip replacement recall is different from the other defective hip recalls in that the DePuy hip issues may have no warning signs that alert patients to serious problems with the artificial hip implants. The DePuy hip implants may be asymptomatic in that patients have no pain or obvious problems with their hip implants but may still suffer from metallosis or metal poisoning as a result of the hip implant.
If you or a loved one have had a hip implant, check with your physician as to the type and model of hip implant you’ve received. If it’s a DePuy ASR hip implant, you may be susceptible to metal poisoning that can lead to serious health problems. The metal on metal nature of the DePuy ASR hip implant may cause metallosis, a serious condition that can lead to other serious health issue including tissue necrosis, blood poisoning and cancer.
Defective Zimmer NexGen Knee Implants
Besides the Zimmer Durom Cup hip implant, the medical device company is receiving complaints about its NexGen CR-Flex knee implants. The knee devices are failing withing the first three years of implantation. The 36% failure rate within this time period has caused Dr. Richard Berger, a noted orthopedic surgeon to call upon Zimmer to recall the knee device. Berger has implanted 125 NexGen knees since 2005 and is very concerned about the premature failure rate.
The NexGen knees are cementless knee devices that are not fusing properly to the bone. The loosening of the knee device causes severe pain and loss of proper mobility.
Zimmer officials have blamed orthopedic surgeons for improperly implanting the knee device.
Zimmer Hips Have Defects Now It’s Zimmer Knees
Zimmer Holdings Inc. has had a rough last few years. First, it was the Zimmer Durom Cup recall in 2008 after an investigation revealed an unusually high need for revision surgeries in patients with the Zimmer Durom Cup hip replacement. In the Zimmer hip cases, the artificial Durom Cup would loosen causing severe pain and further surgery to correct the problem.
Now, Zimmer is having problems with its artificial knee medical device, the NexGen CR-Flex knee replacement. While the average artificial knee replacement lasts for approximately 15 years, the NexGen knee is failing within 3 years of implantation. Since the Zimmer Nex Gen CR-Flex knee was introduced to the marketplace in 2003, more than 150,000 Zimmer knees have been implanted.
Pervert Miami Priest Neil Doherty Back in Jail
While the specifics remain unclear, accused pedophile priest Neil Doherty is back in jail for violating the terms of his release. Doherty is awaiting trial for 2 counts of sexual battery on a child, 2 counts of indecent assault, one count of lewd or lascivious molestation.
Doherty has had numerous complained of sexual abuse leveled against dating as far back as the early 1970’s in the Archdiocese of Miami when he was plying young boys at a halfway house with drugs and alcohol.