Dangerous Drugs & Devices
You may be entitled to seek compensation as a result of an injury or serious harm suffered from using a defective medical device or prescription drug. Contact an Oklahoma attorney at Reams Law – (405) 285-6878 – to seek the justice you deserve from being harmed by defective drugs and medical devices.
Areas of investigation include:
- Essure
- Risperdal
- Invokana
- Talcum Powder
- Xarelto
- Testosterone Replacement Therapy
- Taxotere
Essure
Bayer manufactured Essure, a permanent birth control system implanted by a non-surgical procedure. The Essure device is a soft, flexible metal spring available to women who:
- Want to end their fertility
- Have not had their fallopian tubes tied
- Are not pregnant
- Do not have an active or recent pelvic infection
- Do not have a known allergy to contrast dye
Five thousand patient complaints have been reported since Essure’s release. Problems, complications and serious side effects from Essure have included:
- Severe abdominal cramping
- Fatigue
- Allergic reactions
- Weight fluctuations
- Heavy, prolonged menstrual bleeding
- And more
The birth control device coils can reportedly migrate and perforate the fallopian tubes and cause neurological damage, severe pain and even death.
Studies have questioned whether Essure is even effective as a birth control device. The risk of pregnancy may be four times higher in Essure than in devices implanted surgically.
Risperdal
The anti-psychotic drug Risperdal has been linked to complications and serious side effects in children, including gynecomastia, the development of male breasts. Risperdal may cause young males to develop breasts and milk secretion. They often suffer psychological damages, and may need to have the breast tissue removed by surgery.
Marketed off-label, Risperdal has been used to treat childhood disorders before FDA approval including:
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Autism
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) manufactured Risperdal and marketed it for these uses, but failed to advise about the serious side effects of the drug.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against J&J and the manufacturer payed $2.2 billion to resolve false marketing and misbranding claims.
Invokana
Invokana was developed to treat type 2 diabetes. Invokana and similar drugs are classified as sodium-glucose contransporter-2 (SGLT2) drugs since their release. The SGLT2 drugs inhibit some kidney functions, allowing an increase in the amount of blood sugar passed through urine.
Over 450 adverse incident reports have been filed since Invokana came to market. Patients using SGLT2 have reported injuries from the drugs, including:
- Kidney Failure
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Acidosis/Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
The FDA has warned that Invokana increases the risk of causing diabetic ketoacidosis. Along with Invokana, other drugs are being investigated:
- Invokamet
- Farziga
- Xigdue XR
- Jardiance
- Glyxambi
- Xarelto
- Pradaxa
- Talcum Powder
Cosmetic products like baby powder and other deodorizing powders use talcum powder. Talcum powder is used to absorb moisture prevent rashes and cut down on friction, and has been commonly used by men and women in the genital region.
Talcum powder can be found on store shelves everywhere today, despite revelations that use of talcum powder has been linked to ovarian cancer for decades.
A connection between talcum powder and ovarian cancer was made in the 1970’s when talcum particles were found in tumors. A study in 1992 found a 33 percent increased risk of ovarian cancer in women who used talcum powder for genital hygiene. Talcum powder particles can enter the body when used like this through the vagina and fallopian tubes, resulting in irritation of the ovaries, inflammation and even tumor growth.
Many women remain unaware of the dangers of using talcum powder for genital use. The manufacturer of talcum products continues by including Johnson & Johnson, which produces talcum products without warning labels, even though the FDA warns of the risk on their website.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Men who used testosterone replacement therapy may be at risk of suffering a stroke, heart attack or even death, according to multiple studies. higher risk of blood clots, congestive heart failure, stroke and more are also linked to testosterone therapy.
Symptoms of declining testosterone that testosterone replacement therapy is meant to treat include:
- Decrease in muscle mass
- Increase in body fat
- Decrease in body hair
- Decreased sex drive
- Erectile dysfunction
- And more
Testosterone replacement therapy is meant to help these problems by improving sex drive, strengthening bone density and building muscle mass. Cases against testosterone replacement therapy include:
- AndroGel
- Androderm
- Aziron
- Bio-T-Gel
- Delatestryl
- Depo-Testosterone
- Fortesta
- Striant
- Testim
- Testopel
The number of American men taking these treatments has quadrupled since 2014, despite the risks of testosterone replacement therapy.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or illness as a result of testosterone replacement therapy, contact Reams Law: (405) 285-6878.