Pharmaceutical Litigation And Personal Injury Law Blog

What's the deadline for filing a TDF lawsuit?

On behalf of Reich & Binstock posted in pharmaceutical injury on Thursday, December 5, 2019.

TDF, or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, is a drug designed to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Marketed by Gilead under the brand name Truvada (along with others), TDF drugs were seen as a first-line treatment for HIV.

The problem is that TDF drugs weren't nearly as safe as Gilead led doctors and patients to believe. Even though Gilead knew that TDF drugs caused osteoporosis, fractures, kidney damage, renal failure and even death, the company continued to promote the drugs to protect its profits -- while simultaneously keeping a much safer treatment, known as TAF drugs, off the market.

HIV drug Truvada manufacturer allegedly traded hope for greed

On behalf of Reich & Binstock on Tuesday, November 26, 2019.

If you received a diagnosis of HIV, you probably began immediately to research ways to remain healthy and active for as long as possible. Fortunately, in the past several decades, medical advances have produced several options for those who are HIV-positive and those who are at risk of contracting the virus. One of those is the medication Truvada.

Truvada has been the go-to drug for preventing HIV cells from multiplying and becoming full-blown AIDS. Perhaps you have taken it for this purpose or as a pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP drug. While you may have thought Truvada was providing hope for a longer, healthier life, instead, you may now be dealing with serious side effects that Gilead, the drug manufacturer, allegedly hid from you and others dealing with the HIV virus.

When a drug company puts profits ahead of HIV patients

On behalf of Reich & Binstock posted in Defective Drugs on Thursday, November 21, 2019.

Patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have come a long way since the early days after their disease was discovered. There are whole new classes of drugs available that can help them remain well and live full lives.

Unfortunately, many of those patients could have been leading even better lives if they'd had access to the safer, more effective drug that was purposefully withheld from the market in the name of profits.

What did Gilead know about the side effects of TDF HIV drugs?

On behalf of Reich & Binstock posted in pharmaceutical injury on Friday, November 8, 2019.

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarite (TDF) drugs designed to treat the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are marketed under a variety of names, including Truvada, Atripla, Viread. They've been a longstanding component of successful HIV treatment for many years for many people afflicted with this potentially deadly disease.

It turns out, however, that the cure came with its own dangers -- and the drug manufacturer, Gilead, knew exactly what those dangers were and could have offered patients a safer alternative that was less toxic.

Zantac and ranitidine products recalled for being carcinogenic

On behalf of Reich & Binstock posted in Defective Drugs on Friday, October 25, 2019.

Zantac and various other generic ranitidine products were recalled from the market earlier this week after it was discovered that the over-the-counter drug contained cancer-causing ingredients.

The ranitidine pills that were recalled include those distributed by Sanofi, the manufacturer of Zantac. Generic ones distributed by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories were most affected by the call though. They manufacture the generic version of the over-the-counter drug sold at retailers including Target, Walmart, CVS, Sam's Club and Walgreens.

How common are deadly truck crashes?

On behalf of Reich & Binstock posted in Truck Accidents on Friday, October 11, 2019.

Data compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation and its affiliated agencies shows that truckers, on average, have viewer accidents per 100 million miles driven by any type of motorist. Even still, the number of deaths that result from these truck-involved crashes is significantly higher than the fatalities that result from any other type of motor vehicle accident.

Statistics published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in 2010 showed that U.S. truckers traveled an estimated 286,585 miles. Of all the truck crashes that occurred that year, 3,413 people were killed. An overwhelming 72% of those who died were motorists driving passenger cars. Another 14% of the fatalities were the truckers themselves. At least 13% of them were pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists.

What are some signs that your medical device is failing you?

On behalf of Reich & Binstock posted in Defective Medical Devices on Friday, September 27, 2019.

Millions of Americans have been fitted with medical devices over the past few decades, including heart defibrillators, artificial joints and surgical mesh. Sadly many of these life-saving products have garnered less attention for how they can save a patient's life and more attention for how they make take it. You should remain vigilant for signs that you have a defective medical implant yourself.

If you're considering a surgical implant, make certain that you discuss all available options for your condition. Its a far safer course of action to take a conservative approach to treatment.

The Food and Drug Administration issues a warning about Zantac

On behalf of Reich & Binstock posted in pharmaceutical injury on Friday, September 13, 2019.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public warning to those who take the over-the-counter heartburn drug Zantac on Sept. 13. They announced that the same carcinogen that identified in prescription blood pressure medications earlier this year was also found in Zantac pills.

In their press release, the FDA outlined how both pills that carry the brand name Zantac and generic ones that don't both were found to have traces of the known carcinogen nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). The former is manufactured by the drug manufacturer Sanofi. The companies that produced the generic version of the over-the-counter drug referenced by the FDA in their statement haven't yet been named.

Acterma can cause serious side effects

On behalf of Reich & Binstock posted in Pharmaceutical Liability on Wednesday, September 11, 2019.

Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience a great deal of pain on a daily basis due to inflammation that wreaks havoc on the body. To lessen the degree of joint pain and joint damage, RA sufferers are prescribed medications that can come with their own pernicious side effects, such as lung disease, stroke, heart failure, and heart attacks. As such, when Actemra hit the market and was touted by its manufacturer to not carry these deadly effects, this drug became a popular choice among doctors and RA sufferers.

Actemra (also known as tocilizumab) is a monoclonal antibody drug developed by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. First approved by the FDA in 2010, this drug has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and most recently for giant cell arteritis. Patients can receive their medication either intravenously or by Actemra injection.

What steps should you take if your medication is recalled?

On behalf of Reich & Binstock posted in Defective Drugs on Friday, August 30, 2019.

Many Americans take over-the-counter and prescription medications to make them feel better or keep them alive. While many of them work as they're intended to, others are downright dangerous. Manufacturers and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recall countless drugs or medications from the market every year. These recalls often happen after patients experience health declines. There are steps that you should follow if your medication is recalled.

When a recall is issued, you should get out your pill bottle and look at both the original and generic name for the medication. You should also take note of the manufacturer. You'll also want to compare the lot number and any identifying markings on the pills to recall information. Your medication may not be part of the recall unless you find that all of that information lines up.