Recalled Dangerous Drugs

If you or someone you love has been injured due to the side effects of a prescription drug, or were given an improper dose or incorrect instructions on a drug’s use and suffered ham as a result, then you may have the legal right to seek monetary compensation.

Below is a list of drugs with dangerous and sometimes deadly side effects that have been on the U.S. market within recent years. If you or someone you love has been injured or killed due to prescription drugs, please contact a qualified pharmaceutical injury lawyer immediately.

Vioxx, Celebrex, Bextra, Prempro , Ephedra, Fen Phen, Neurontin, Oxycontin, Zyprexa, Vytorin

Vioxx (rofecoxib) – Vioxx is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) manufactured by Merck & Co. to treat osteoarthritis, acute pain conditions and dysmenorrhoea. Vioxx was withdrawn from the world market in 2004 due to rising concerns about increased cardiovascular risks associated with the drug, including heart attacks and strokes. It was one of the most widely used drugs ever to be withdrawn and has also become the subject of one of the largest pharmaceutical class-action lawsuits ever.

Celebrex (celecoxib) – Celebrex is an NSAID manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer Incorporated.  Celebrex carries a Black Box Warning, the highest warning the FDA requires. This medicine can increase the risk of life-threatening heart or circulation problems, including heart attack or stroke. This risk will increase the longer a patient uses Celebrex. Patients should not use Celebrex just before or after having heart bypass surgery.

Bextra (valdecoxib) – Bextra by Pfizer pharmaceutical, was an NSAID used to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and painful menstruation and menstrual symptoms. On April 7 2005, Pfizer withdrew Bextra from the U.S. market due to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and Stevens Johnsons Syndrome.

Zyprexa (olanzapine) – Zyprexa is an antipsychotic medication made by Eli-Lily to treat bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia. Zyprexa carries an FDA Black Box Warning. Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis who are treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death compared to placebos. Most of these deaths occur due to cardiovascular or infectious events.

Fosamax (alendronate sodium) – Fosamax is used to treat osteoporosis in both men in women. It helps to slow down bone loss due to menopause and corticosteroid drugs. It is also used to prevent and treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and to treat Paget’s disease. Fosamax has been found to be dangerous to the lining of the throat and stomach and may play a role in osteonecrosis of the jaw, a destructive bone disease. In April 2008, a study was done that suggested a link between Fosamax and atrial fibrillation, a chronic irregular heartbeat that can cause dizziness and fainting as well as fatigue. In rare cases, it can lead to blood clots and stroke.

Trasylol (aprotinin bovine) – Trasylol, manufactured by Bayer, is a clotting drug used during surgery to control bleeding. In 2007, a study linked the drug to kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes and an increased risk of death by up to 50 percent when compared to similar drugs on the market. Similar studies in 2008 confirmed those earlier findings.

Fen Phen (fenfluramine, dexfenfluramine and phentermine) – Fen Phen was a popular anti-obesity drug released by Wyeth Consumer Healthcare. Fen Phen was found to cause valvular heart disease and pulmonary hypertension, mostly in women. It was discontinued and recalled in the United States on November 1997.

Neurontin (gabapentin) – Neurontin is used with other drugs in the treatment of some types of seizures and for the management of post-herpetic neuralgia (nerve pain caused by the herpes virus or shingles). Neurontin was originally manufactured by Warner-Lambert, now part of Pfizer. The drug was found to cause memory loss, sudden mood and personality changes, hostility and suicidal tendencies. Neurontin was also prescribed for many off-label uses, for which it was found to be non-effective.

Oxycontin (oxycodone) – Oxycontin, produced by Purdue Pharma, is a powerful painkiller used for moderate to severe pain. OxyContin contains the narcotic drug oxycodone. The pill is designed with a time-release mechanism meant to prevent overdoses, but crushing or dissolving the pill can release the entire dose at one time and produce an overdose. Mixing OxyContin with alcohol can also result in an overdose and cause death, coma and brain damage, often brought on by respiratory failure. Oxycontin also has highly addictive properties, similar to that of morphine, and many people have developed addictions within five to seven days of use. People who end their prescription of the drug often suffer from withdrawal symptoms.

Ephedra – Ephedra was released as a dietary supplement for weight loss as well as to treat respiratory conditions such as asthma and nasal swelling. Ephedra was found to cause many severe side effects such as severe skin reactions, irritability, nervousness, dizziness, trembling, headaches, insomnia, profuse perspiration, dehydration, itchy scalp and skin, vomiting, hyperthermia, irregular heartbeat, seizures, heart attack, stroke and death. Ephedra has been banned in the U.S.

Accutane (isotretinoin) – Accutane is intended to treat moderate to severe scarring acne that has failed other treatments. It is sometimes preferred over prescription cream and anti-bacterial treatments because it only has to be taken for four to five months. Accutane has a Black Box Warning from the FDA. It has been known to cause birth defects and to lead to spontaneous abortions and premature births.

Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) – Crestor is a prescription statin drug used to treat high cholesterol. Produced by AstraZeneca, Crestor has been known to significantly increase the chance of kidney, muscle and liver damage. Over the years, several lawsuits, both individual and class-action, have been filed against AstraZeneca because of harm allegedly caused by Crestor.