Big Pharma had a major victory on June 8th, when the Texas Supreme Court handed down its ruling in Centocor, Inc. v. Hamilton. The Court held that "When a drug manufacturer properly warns a prescribing physician of the dangerous propensities of its product, the manufacturer is excused from warning each patient who receives the drug. The doctor stands as a learned intermediary between the manufacturer and the ultimate consumer." Further, "A prescription drug manufacturer fulfills its duty to warn end users of its product's risks by providing adequate warnings to the intermediaries who … [Read more...]
Injured by a Doctor? You’ll likely deal with the secretive Medical Board instead of open court
Fox 4 in Dallas did a great story on the Texas Medical Board and their contribution to physician discipline since tort reform in 2003. According to the report serious disciplinary actions are down and the time taken to conduct investigations has risen. Further, Doctor confidentiality and secrecy is maintained until a final disciplinary action is completed, leaving patients unaware of allegations of malpractice by doctors. Check the Fox 4 page for a video. Some of the images are graphic and the stories are truly tragic. Its a shame our state has fallen so far in protecting patient … [Read more...]
Tort Reform has not Increased the Number of Doctors in Texas
Anew study by David A. Hyman, Charles Silver, and Bernard Black shows that Texas Tort Reform measures have not increased the number of doctors in Texas since 2003. "Does state tort reform affect physician supply? Tort reformers certainly believe so. Before Texas adopted tort reform in 2003, proponents claimed that physicians were deserting Texas in droves. After tort reform was enacted, proponents claimed there had been a dramatic increase in physicians moving to Texas due to the improved liability climate. We find no evidence to support either claim. Physician supply was not measurably … [Read more...]
All-Metal Hip Implants Prone to Early Failure, Need to be Removed
Great story by NPR on the continuing problems faced by patients who have received All-Metal Hip Implants. Implants Need To Be Removed Early by Richard Knox EnlargeRichard Knox/NPRYoung-min Kwon of Massachusetts General Hospital holds the metal-alloy ball of Susy Mansfield's faulty artificial hip joint. The yellowish tissue on top is dead muscle caused by a reaction to the metal debris produced by the defective hip implant. When Susy Mansfield needed a hip replacement in 2009, her orthopedic surgeon chose a relatively new and untested kind of artificial hip made … [Read more...]
Cancer Risk linked to Diabetes Treatment
By Frank Lyle “Actos” is the brand name for a drug (pioglitazone) used to treat adult onset, Type-II diabetes. In June of 2011, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed the public that this drug may increase the risk of bladder cancer. The FDA required new warnings to be placed on the medication’s label sold under the names Actos, Actoplus Met and Duetact. The drug has already been pulled off the market in France and Germany. It has been estimated that more than 2 million patients filled prescriptions for the drug between January 2010 and October 2010. Our attorneys at SpringerLyle … [Read more...]
Hip Implant Complaints Increase, While Dangers Are Reviewed
By BARRY MEIER and JANET ROBERTS of the New York Times Published: August 22, 2011 The federal government has received a surge in complaints in recent months about failed hip replacements, suggesting that serious problems persist with some types of artificial hips even as researchers scramble to evaluate the health dangers. An analysis of federal data by The New York Times indicates that the Food and Drug Administration has received more than 5,000 reports since January about several widely used devices known as metal-on-metal hips, more than the agency had received about those devices in … [Read more...]
FDA Reports Cancer Risk from Osteoporosis Drugs
An FDA Safety Alert issued today warns that taking oral osteoporosis drugs (“bisphosphonates”) may cause an increased risk of esophageal cancer. This category of drugs includes Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, Atelvia, Didronel, and Skelid. Esophageal cancer and other esophageal problems have been reported in connection with use of the drugs, and the FDA is reviewing data from published studies to determine whether a link exists. The FDA posted the following recommendation in its Safety Alert: “Patients should talk with their healthcare professional about the benefits and risks of taking oral … [Read more...]
Johnson & Johnson insulin cartridge recall
from Reuters J&J Animas unit recalls leaky insulin cartridges * 384,180 cartridges recalled in U.S., France * 22 adverse events reported, no deaths * Leak could result in underdelivery of insulin * FDA also warns Cordis unit over stent manufacturing * Shares close up 0.5 percent (Updates number of adverse events, closing share price) By Bill Berkrot NEW YORK, March 8 (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), which has been beset by a seemingly endless stream of product recalls, has recalled hundreds of thousands of potentially leaky insulin pump cartridges that could … [Read more...]
Glaxo Suit on Avandia Heart Attack Death Settled on Trial’s Eve
from Bloomberg.Com Glaxo Suit on Avandia Heart Attack Death Settled on Trial's Eve GlaxoSmithKline Plc said it settled on the eve of trial a lawsuit alleging its Avandia diabetes drug caused a North Carolina man to die of a heart attack, avoiding a jury determination over risks associated with the medicine. The U.K.’s biggest drugmaker resolved the suit by the family of James Burford, an Avandia user who died in 2006. The company declined to provide details of the accord’s terms. The resolution eliminates the risk Glaxo would face a large jury award, said Navid Malik, a drug-industry … [Read more...]