Posted in Drug & Medical Devices on April 9, 2014

In one of the largest jury awards in U.S. history, the manufacturers of the diabetes treatment Actos® were ordered to pay $1.5 million in compensatory damages and $9 billion in punitive damages over hidden cancer risks. According to court documents, a federal court jury found that pharmaceutical giants Takeda and Eli Lilly acted with...

Posted in Drug & Medical Devices, Health & Wellness on March 28, 2014

The FDA has issued a warning that some over-the-counter weight loss pills, being sold as dietary supplements, are actually dangerous, unapproved and misbranded drugs.  Pure Edge Nutrition recently announced that it is recalling several of its products, after it was discovered the supplements contained undeclared Sibutramine or a combination of both Sibutramine and Phenolphthalein. Sibutramine,...

Posted in Drug & Medical Devices on March 14, 2014

For many families, cochlear implants are a modern miracle, restoring the hearing of a deaf loved one. Sadly, for hundreds of recipients of one cochlear implant, the dream of hearing birds sing or someone say “I love you” has turned into a nightmare. Reports indicate that over 1500 HiRes 90k cochlear implants have failed...

Posted in Drug & Medical Devices on February 10, 2014

There may finally be a resolution for the thousands of NuvaRing ® users who filed product-liability claims against Merck & Co., alleging the contraceptive device caused blood clots that caused heart attacks, or led to death in some cases. Last week, the pharmaceutical giant announced it would pay $100 million to resolve nearly 4,000 cases,...

Posted in Drug & Medical Devices, Health & Wellness on February 7, 2014

Most of us don’t give it a second thought when we turn to over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicines for our minor aches and pains. But how much do you really know about the drugs you are taking? Even though they are available without a prescription, it is important to remember each OTC pain medication is...

Posted in Drug & Medical Devices on January 22, 2014

Most of the things we purchase are safe. Unfortunately, however, sometimes a defective product, drug, or medical device causes consumers to suffer an injury. In the U.S., when many people are harmed by the same defendant (or group of defendants), depending on the circumstances, individual lawsuits may be grouped together. Learn the Lingo  ...

Posted in Drug & Medical Devices on January 17, 2014

Have you noticed the ever-increasing collection of commercials targeting men with low testosterone, or “Low T?” Much like the advertising for Viagra and other ED medications, these ubiquitous sales pitches prey on the insecurities of mature men with promises of increased vitality, improved muscle mass, alleviating depression, and improved sexual performance. But for some...

Posted in Drug & Medical Devices on December 19, 2013

In a surprising announcement, pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline revealed they will soon put an end to a common industry practice of paying doctors and other health professionals to promote their drugs. The company said it will stop paying doctors to endorse its products at speaking engagements and no longer base the pay of sales representatives...

Posted in Drug & Medical Devices on December 12, 2013

German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim has been fined $931,000 in federal court for withholding or failing to preserve documents sought by plaintiffs in hundreds of Pradaxa lawsuits. According to court documents, Boehringer failed to preserve or produce files belonging to a high-level scientist, sales representatives, consultants and others. The drugmaker also failed to provide...

Posted in Drug & Medical Devices on December 3, 2013

It seems you can’t turn on the radio without hearing an ad for dietary supplements claiming to help with everything from diabetes to erectile dysfunction. Sometimes scams are obvious, but such a distinction is not always as clear. Advertisements like these can confuse consumers because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements...