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GENERAL INFORMATION |
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Trasylol Recall: 2008 Update and Patient
Resources |
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| In November 2007, under
pressure from the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), Bayer AG suspended sales of Trasylol, a
clotting drug used during heart surgery to control
bleeding. Worldwide, more than four and a half
million people had been given the drug. About a
third of them were Americans who received it during
the 14 years that it was on the U.S. market. |
| Trasylol was recalled
because heart bypass, heart valve replacement
and other cardiac surgery patients who received
Trasylol were more likely to die than patients
that received competing blood clotting drugs
available on the market. The deaths were due to
kidney failure, heart failure, heart attacks
and strokes the patients suffered following
surgery. |
| Earlier in 2007, a
major Canadian trial of the drug was terminated
because of an increase in deaths for cardiac
surgery patients using it. The trial was designed
to show that Trasylol was better than other
drugs in controlling bleeding. Instead, Patients
in the Canadian study receiving Trasylol had
a 50 percent increased risk of dying compared
with patients receiving the other drugs. |
| Trasylol has also
been associated with renal failure, the failure
of the kidneys to function properly, after
surgery requiring dialysis. |
| Trasylol was first
approved for use in 1993 and became extremely
profitable for Bayer. Sales of the drug hit
$300 million in 2005, and higher until its
recall. In many cases, patients were charged
over $1,000 for Trasylol while other equally
effective drugs without the same risks cost
only $50. |
| At the time Trasylol
was withdrawn from the market, Bayer claimed
the recall was merely a temporary suspension
of sales. "Bayer believes that the totality
of the available data continue to support a
favorable risk-benefit profile for Trasylol
when used according to labeling," the
company stated in a press release. |
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| Lieff
Cabraser represents persons
across America injured by dangerous
prescription drugs. Click
here to submit your case. |
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Our lawyers have years of
experience successfully representing
clients in personal injury
cases. |
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There is no charge or obligation
for our review of your case. |
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In death and serious injury
cases, we are pleased to visit
you where you live, at no cost,
to discuss your legal rights
and answer your questions. |
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We have retained product
safety and medical experts
nationwide to assist our clients
with their claims. |
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For our personal injury cases,
we bring a team of experienced
lawyers. In addition, we have
on staff multiple nurses, legal
assistants, scientific analysts
and case clerks to assist our
attorneys. Learn more about
advantages we offer our clients. |
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| In February 2008, 60
Minutes reported that Bayer was aware for
decades of safety concerns with Trasylol and
since 2006 of widespread deaths associated with
the drug. Yet the FDA allowed the drug to remain
on the market and Bayer continued to aggressively
market Trasylol. It is estimated Trasylol contributed
to the death of one thousand patients a month
until its recall. |
| 60 Minutes further
reported that Bayer conducted its own internal
study to evaluate the risk of patient deaths from
Trasylol. Bayer hired a Harvard professor who examined
the medical records of nearly 70,000 patients.
Patients on Trasylol were found to have an elevated
risk of death and acute renal (kidney) failure. |
| When the FDA conducted
a safety review of Trasylol in 2006, Bayer did
not reveal the study to the FDA and successfully
lobbied the FDA to keep Trasylol on the market.
Over a year passed before the FDA again reviewed
the adverse effects of Trasylol and it was recalled. |
| The FDA has not imposed
any penalty on Bayer. The only way for patients
who have experienced heart attacks, kidney failure
and other damage caused by Trasylol to obtain compensation
for their injuries is to file a personal
injury lawsuit against Bayer. Families
of loved ones who died may file a wrong death action. |
| The law in most states
provides several personal injury claims for persons
who have been seriously injured due to defective
prescription drugs and treatments. These claims
include strict liability for a defective product,
failure to warn, and negligence. Damages sought
against drug manufacturers can include compensation
for: |
- Physical pain and suffering,
mental anguish and physical impairment;
- Past and
future medical expenses;
- Loss of earnings and/or
earning capacity; and
- Punitive damages for extreme
wrongful conduct.
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| If you have suffered a
serious injury following surgery in which you were
given Trasylol or are a relative of patient that
died after receiving Trasylol, please click
here to contact Lieff Cabraser. |
| Our firm will review your
claim without charge or obligation on your part. |
| Alternatively, you may
call Lieff Cabraser personal injury attorney Heather
Foster in our San Francisco office at 1-800-541-7358
(the call is toll free). |
| Founded in 1972, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein,
LLP is an over fifty attorney
law firm with offices in San Francisco, New York and Nashville. For the last five years,
the National Law Journal has recognized Lieff Cabraser
as one of the top 20 plaintiffs’ law firms in America. |
| For our personal injury cases, we bring a team of experienced
lawyers. Each client is assigned an individual lawyer. In addition, we have
on staff multiple nurses, legal assistants, scientific analysts and case
clerks to assist the attorneys. To learn more about our firm, click
here. |
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from Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP. Lieff Cabraser
represents clients in a wide range of cases, including personal
injury and wrongful
death lawsuits. Our personal injury attorneys
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defects and related lawsuits. |
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About Lieff Cabraser: We have
offices in San Francisco, New York and Nashville. Our lawyers have
represented clients in personal injury, wrongful death and
rollover crashes and product defect lawsuits across America, including
residents of Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California,
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Among the cases our personal injury
attorneys are prosecuting are the Medtronic heart lead recall, the
AMO contact lens solution recall, the Peter Pan peanut butter recall, Guidant
pacemaker defects, SUV
rollover accidents, popcorn
workers lung injuries, and Ford
switch fires.
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| Copyright © 2008 Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP |
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