Law News

Paxil Cases Assigned to Savage, Over GlaxoSmithKline's Protests

The Legal Intelligencer

May 25, 2011 In a setback for GlaxoSmithKline, the same federal judge who recently remanded eight Paxil birth defect suits to state court has now been assigned by his chief judge to decide the fate of another 21 cases despite GSK's protests of "judge shopping." "We disagree with defendant that it is unfair to transfer the motions to Judge [Timothy] Savage, who is extremely familiar with the issue involved and has already ruled on the motions in other Paxil cases," Chief Judge Harvey Bartle III wrote.

Judge Rules GSK's 'Nerve Center' in Phila. for Paxil Suits

Lawyers for GlaxoSmithKline were enjoying something of a winning streak in their efforts to remove drug products liability lawsuits to federal court — and keep them there — by arguing that it has converted to a limited liability company that is based in Delaware.

But that streak may now be over.

Oral Contraceptives and the Risk of Gall Bladder Disease: A Comparative Safety Study

The Canadian Medical Association Journal has recently conducted a comparative study regarding the use of oral contraceptives and gall bladder disease. An excerpt from this study is listed below.

Background: Recent concerns have been raised about the risk of gallbladderdisease associated with the use of drospirenone, a fourth-generationprogestin used in oral contraceptives. We conducted a studyto determine the magnitude of this risk compared with otherformulations of oral contraceptives.

Asthma Relieving Advair Linked to Severe Asthma Attacks

Manufactured in 2000 by GlaxoSmithKline, Advair an inhaled medication, contains both Long-Acting Beta-Agonists, fluticasone propionate (Flovent) and salmeterol (Serevent).This combination treatment decreases inflammation in the lungs, and works to relax the muscles around the airways in the lungs. Advair is primarily used to treat asthma attacks and chronic pulmonary disease.

Wicked Understudy Sues Bayer Claiming Yasmin Caused Stroke

A stunning stage actress is suing the drug giant Bayer, claiming its popular birth-control pill Yasmin caused her to have a stroke at age 27.

Brenda Hamilton, who is an understudy in the Broadway show "Wicked," said she had been taking Yasmin for a little more than two years when she suffered the terrifying stroke in May 2007.

She has since recovered, but says in a civil suit filed in The Bronx that Bayer knew Yasmin posed a greater risk than did other birth-control pills for blood clots and strokes, but withheld that information from patients and doctors.

Zicam Not Alone in Reports of Side Effects

Zicam and hundreds of other homeopathic remedies are highly diluted drugs made from natural ingredients. They are really sold as treatments with explicit claims of medical benefit. Yet they don't require federal checks for safety, effectiveness or even the right ingredients.

FDA says it tied the drug to reports from 130 consumers who said they lost their sense of smell. The agency told Zicam's maker, Matrixx Initiatives, to stop marketing products that carry zinc glyconate. The agency said the drug must be tested for safety and benefit, like a conventional drug, before it is again marketed. And the FDA warned people not to use the Zicam products.

Zicam was deceptively marketed and paid $12 million in 2006 to settled with about 340 Zicam patients. But complaints by dozens of patients remain before the courts. Attorney Lynn Seithel represents more than 300 patients with Zicam claims. She says, "The FA warning this week validates what our clients have been saying."

Associated Press, June 17, 2009

Yaz & The New York Times

The attorneys at Feldman and Pinto are currently representing Plaintiffs who have taken the birth control pill known as Yaz. Recently, the New York Times released an article citing the dangerous health concerns associated with this popular contraceptive.

The article begins by highlighting the increased popularity Yaz has gained in the past year; the contraceptive is called the “go-to-drug” for women under 35. As of late, the company has received more criticism than praise, from consumers, lawyers and health administrators. Researchers have long understood that a contraceptive containing both estrogen and progesterone increases a woman’s risk of developing stokes and blood clots.

Paxil Related Birth Defects

The lawyers at Feldman and Pinto are evaluating possible cases for anyone who has experienced personal injuries after use of Paxil.

Paxil is an antidepressant, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, used for the treatment of depression and other psychiatric disorders. Since its release in 1992, the warning label for Paxil has changed to reflect the risk of birth defects in children whose mothers were taking Paxil and the increase risk of suicidal behavior in children and adults.

Early Cancer Diagnosis

The American Cancer Society has reported that cancer now accounts for nearly one in four deaths in the United States. In fact, an estimated 555,500 Americans died from cancer in the year 2002 and over half of those deaths were due to one of the following four cancers: lung, colorectal, prostate or breast. Other findings indicate that since 1991, overall cancer incidence and mortality rates declined at a rate of approximately 1.1 percent per year. “This progressive reduction in cancer incidence and mortality, now almost a decade in duration, is a triumph by any standard and a product of cancer prevention, early diagnosis, screening and improved cancer treatment programs widely utilized throughout the country,” wrote Robert C. Young, MD, president of the American Cancer Society and president of Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.

Diabetic Footcare

Foot problems are among the leading causes of hospitalization for the 16 million people in the United States with diabetes. Hundreds of million of dollars are spent annually on treatment. It has been estimated that 15 percent of all diabetics will develop a serious foot problem at some time in their lives. The most common of these problems are infection, ulceration or gangrene (death of tissue), which can lead, in the most severe cases, to amputation of a toe, foot or leg.

Feldman & Pinto