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Dangerous Prescription Medications

Prescriptions medications are a key tool for maintaining good health.  Before prescription drugs are released to the market, extensive testing must be performed by drug manufacturers to show that the drugs have the intended beneficial effects and do not carry undue risk of harm.  However, history has shown that drug manufacturers at times have suppressed bad results of testing or failed to recognize other unintended side effects.  Once a drug is released to market, additional monitoring is required so that the FDA, physicians, and the public can be made aware of adverse effects of the medication.

Several drugs have been shown to be associated with wrongful deaths, severe injuries, and other ill-effects:

• Fosamax - This drug has been given to patients at risk for osteoporosis, but has been shown to cause many cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), or bone death of the jaw.
• Duragesic patches - This potent pain reliever is administered through a transdermal patch.  It has been associated with manufacturing defects which have resulted in several fatal accidental overdoses and other serious injuries.
• Reglan - this drug is prescribed for gastroparesis and other digestive issues.  It has been shown to cause tardive dyskenesia, a neurological disorder causing involuntary body movements, after long term usage, especially in children and the elderly.
• Levaquin - this antibiotic has been shown to cause tendon ruptures, especially achilles tendon ruptures, when prescribed to senior citizens.
• Hydroxycut -- this supplement commonly used for weight loss has been linked to liver failure and has been recalled.
• Amiodarone is sold under the brand names Cordarone and Pacerone.  Intended to treat heart rhythm conditions such as atrial fibrillation.  It has been shown to cause conditions such as blindness and pulmonary toxicity, or damage to the lungs which can make it difficult to breathe or can be fatal.
• Chantix - this smoking cessation drug has been associated with increased rates of suicide among users.

Many other prescription medications have been shown to cause severe sdie effects in users.  If you think that you have been injured due to a defective prescription medication, please contact our offices.

The Law Offices of
Barry G. Doyle, P.C.
100 W Monroe St.,
Ste 2100
Chicago, IL 60603

Phone: 312.263.1080
Fax: 312.263.0153

Proudly Serving Many Illinois Cities and Counties, Including:
Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Naperville, Joliet, Waukegan, Geneva, Sycamore, Woodstock, Kankakee, Morris, Ottawa; Cook, DuPage, Will, Lake, Winnebago, DeKalb, McHenry, Kankakee, Grundy, LaSalle, Peoria, McLean, Champaign, Tazewell Counties

Web Resources for Dangerous Prescription Medications:

• Information from ADA on fosamax induced ONJ

  Description: Information from the American Dental Association on osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) caused by the use of fosamax or other bisphosphonate drugs

• PLOS Medicine

  Description: Library of documents relating to Wyeth's ghostwriting campaign for the hormone replacement medication prempro.  Ghostwriting is a tactic common to many drug manufacturers where they hire professional writers to draft articles for publication in scholarly journals under the name of resepcted researchers.  These articles play up the benefits of using a medication, or downplay the risks.  The net result is increased sales due to hospitals and doctors overestimating the benefits of the drug and underestimating its risks.

• Tardive Dyskenesia Information

  Description: Information from the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke regarding tardive dyskenesia, a movement disorder linked to long term use of neuroleptic drugs such as Reglan.

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