July 16, 2010

Diabetes Drug Avandia May Have Serious Heart Related Side Effects

Many people here in Tennessee and across the country have a loved one or a friend that suffers from or has diabetes. Many people also know about the medications that are out there to help people better control and manage their diabetes and health. All medications have risks, but some medications like Avandia for people with type 2 diabetes may pose dangerous and even life threatening risks to many people here in Tennessee and across the country. If you or a loved one takes Avandia, you might want to consult a Tennessee defective product and dangerous drug attorney right away to get the help you need.

Avandia is a type 2 diabetes medication that helps the body to be able to produce more of its own insulin and help people with this type of diabetes to manage their condition more easily. However, two times in 2007, the Food and Drug Administration gave this medication a black box warning because of its dangerous and even life alternating or life threatening side effects. These side effects may include but are not limited to:
• Heart attack
• Cardiovascular death
• Primary pulmonary hypertension
• Heart valve disease and other heart valve effects
• Liver problems
• Low blood sugar
• Low red cell count
• Increased chance of pregnancy among older women

It is believed that people taking Avandia were found to be forty-three percent more likely to suffer from a heart attack and sixty-four percent more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease than people taking another type of diabetes medication.

The FDA recommends that people taking this medication consult with their doctors about these risks and the chances of developing these problems and if you are at risk, you may want to consider another medication.

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Posted by Jim Higgins | | Email This Post

Posted In: Defective Medical Devices

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October 28, 2009

Insulin Syringe and Catheter Sheath Medical Device Recalls

Yesterday, all Accusure insulin syringes distributed since January 2002 were recalled by device manufacturer Qualitest Pharmaceuticals. The Huntsville, AL-based manufacturer of Accusure estimates the recall affects 250 million insulin syringes. So far, the company has admitted four reports of the needle detaching from the syringe. These recalled Accusure insulin syringes were distributed wholesale and at retail pharmacies throughout the U.S., including Tennessee.

Previously, Qualitest Pharmaceuticals recalled two lots of syringes distributed in 2007 and 2008. This week's recall expands the range of potentially unsafe insulin syringes back to those Qualitest has distributed since January 2002. These recalled medical products have the following descriptions and national drug codes:

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Posted by Jim Higgins | | Email This Post

Posted In: Defective Medical Devices

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October 3, 2009

Device Recall of 5,400 Defective Philips Defibrillators

Philips Electronics, a Dutch company, announced a recall this Tuesday of 5,400 defibrillators for potential defective memory chips. The majority of these defective medical devices being recalled are defibrillators sold in the U.S. These memory chip failures render the device inoperable.

Affected defibrillators are Select HeartStart FR2+ Automated External Defibrillators (AED) (models M3860A and M3861A, distributed by Philips; and models M3840A and M3841A, distributed by Laerdal Medical). These medical devices were manufactured between 5/2007 – 1/2008.

Downplaying the seriousness of this recall of these medical devices on market for over two years, a Philips spokesperson stated that his company sells so many defibrillators worldwide that “the recall [of 650,000 potentially defective defibrillators] represents less than 1 percent [sold].”

Defibrillators are used by response teams to respond to sudden cardiac arrest by helping restart a patient's heart. Other device manufacturers have recently recalled their defective AEDs for software flaws, inability to function in humid conditions, and other potentially fatal manufacturing errors. AEDs affected by the Phillips' medical device recall will impact hospitals, first responders (fire departments and EMS), and other emergency and health organizations.

Philips is one of the world’s top three hospital equipment companies. So far no reports of injury due to product failure have been reported in Tennessee. Customers who have questions about the recall or wish to report product problems may contact HeartStart Customer Service at 1-800-263-3342.

If a Philips or another brand of defective defibrillator has caused harm to you or a loved one, contact Higgins Firm to explore your legal options with a defective medical device lawyer. Call 1.800.705.2121 or complete our defective medical device injury form. Our injury lawyers accept cases throughout Tennessee and select cases in Georgia and Kentucky.

Posted by Jim Higgins | | Email This Post

Posted In: Defective Medical Devices

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September 18, 2009

Dangerous Medical Device Recalls – Medtronic and the FDA

Medtronic, the medical device manufacturer, has had many of its medical products subject to a flurry of Class I recalls and warnings in recent months. These include Medtronic catheters, defibrillators, and pacemakers being issued the FDA most severe warnings for defects that may cause potentially severe injuries.

Medtronic’s Sutureless Connector intrathecal catheters (SC catheters) were recalled for labeling errors that have already negatively affected 10 patients when, per company instructions, the catheter was used with the Medtronic IsoMed Pump Model 8472, a constant-flow infusion drug pump Medtronic discontinued last year as part of a "planned product phase-out." What some might see as a minor oversight in printing--unless you’re one of the nine patients depending on the pumps’ cancer-fighting drugs whose catheters became disconnected and who required surgery to correct the problem, especially if you’re one of the nine who died two days following the procedure.

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Posted by Jim Higgins | | Email This Post

Posted In: Defective Medical Devices

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