Drug testing is a tedious and extensive process, however, even after countless trials some dangerous drugs still end up damaging the health of patients. Drugs that were created to treat specific illnesses have had harmful effects on other parts of the body. Let’s explore the five most dangerous drugs that ended in lawsuits.
Five Dangerous Drugs That Ended in Damaging Lawsuits
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Accutane
Accutane was once regarded as a miracle cure for harsh and unresponsive acne. It was so effective that doctors began prescribing Accutane for less severe skin issues. However, over 2,500 users claimed to develop inflammatory bowel disorders, such as Chron’s disease, after taking this drug. Since then, the drug has been taken off of the market and over $20 million has been awarded to plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits.
Zantac
The heartburn drug known as Zantac was catapulted into controversy after consumers began to take legal actions. Patients found that this drug contained unacceptable levels of carcinogens known as NDMA. This caused many individuals to develop stomach, bladder, liver, and other types of cancer. This life-changing diagnosis was attributed to high intakes of Zantac and the medicine was on the market for at least 36 years.
Valsartan
Valsartan, which was also commonly known as Diovan, was a medication used to treat conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease. However, manufactures failed to disclose the harm that this drug could have on pregnant women. They soon found that taking Valsartan during the last six months of a pregnant could cause serious injury, or death, to the fetus. However, this warning was never disclosed on the packaging and caused hundreds of lawsuits.
Elmiron
Elmiron is a drug that was first prescribed to individuals suffering from interstitial cystitis. The blood thinner was thought to be safe but long-term use of this drug resulted in serious consequences. What doctors did not realize was that this drug could then create irreversible damage to patients’ vision. Hundreds of individuals were left with poor vision, difficulty adapting to low light settings and difficulty reading. As of March 2021, more than 90 lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturer of Elmiron and every month more victims are joining the fight.
Pradaxa
Another blood thinner caught amongst the controversy of serious side effects is the drug Pradaxa. This medicine was used to lower the chance of blood clots forming, however, some individuals cited dangerous side effects such as uncontrollable bleeding. This resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths across the states. Families of the victims took the case to a court of law and demanded justice. In 2014, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay around $650 million to settle over 4,000 lawsuits.
If you yourself, or a loved one, have been a victim of medical malpractice make sure that you contact a professional to see whether or not you have a viable case. Monetary compensation was never enough to subsidize the painful experience these victims endured; however, it did bring a certain level of financial relief.
