Drug Recall Information Center

The cancer drug Ukoniq (umbralisab) is now under investigation by the FDA after a pair of clinical trials indicated that the drug may increase the risk of death for patients.

Ukoniq is a drug approved to treat two kinds of lymphomas, which are cancers directly impacting the body’s immune system.  Unlike most cancer drugs, Ukoniq is not a type of chemotherapy. Ukoniq is considered a targeted therapy (kinase inhibitor) which works by blocking at least two different enzymes that can be found in cancerous cells.

History of Ukoniq

A new study has revealed that Neptazane, a popular prescription drug used for the treatment of glaucoma, can cause some users to develop a serious and extremely painful skin condition called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. This could potentially lead to some product liability lawsuits by individuals who used Neptazane and developed SJS.

What is Neptazane?

Neptazane (methazolamide) is a prescription drug that is often used to treat specific types of glaucoma and other ophthalmologic abnormalities. Glaucoma is a condition of the eyes that causes visual loss in one or both eyes by damaging the optic nerve. Fluid buildup behind the eye is the most common cause of this condition.

Hundreds of consumers have filed product liability lawsuits against pressure cooker manufacturers in recent years. The lawsuits allege that the pressure cookers had a design defect which caused the device to malfunction resulting in severe burns to the user. The following is what you need to know about defective pressure cooker lawsuits.

How can defective pressure cookers cause injuries?

Pressure cookers may have a design defect that causes them to malfunction during use and eject hot liquid and food upwards. This has caused numerous severe burns and other injuries. Some models also have a defect that causes the top lid to eject like a projectile and strike users in the face.

Recent studies suggest associations between the anti-epileptic drug Depakote and adverse health effects. One study found that it increased the death risk in post-stroke epilepsy patients. Another found an association between Depakote use during pregnancy and the Autism and ADHD risk in children. In addition, individuals have filed lawsuits in France against Sanofi, the European manufacturer of Depakote.

About Depakote 

Valproate, known by the brand name Depakote, is an anti-epileptic medication. It treats symptoms associated with epilepsy, seizures, bipolar disorder, and migraines. Depakote comes in 125, 250, and 500 mg delayed-release tablets, 250 and 500 mg extended-release tablets, and 125 mg sprinkle capsules. The Chicago-based biopharmaceutical giant AbbVie manufactures this drug in the United States, while Sanofi manufactures it in Europe.

After spending the last few years under siege from Roundup lawsuits, Bayer AG announced in a recent quarterly earnings report that it has tentatively settled 98,000 Roundup lawsuits. While it continues to work on settling the remaining Roundup cases, Bayer is telling investors that future Roundup liabilities will depend on the outcome of the company’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

About the Roundup Lawsuits

If you are reading this post, you probably already know about the downfall of the popular weedkiller Roundup and the mass tort litigation that it spawned. This section is for those that are new to the Roundup saga.

The 5^th bellwether trial in the 3M earplugs litigation wrapped up yesterday and as we write the jury is in its second day of deliberations. A significant piece of evidence in the trial will be a confidential Air Force Memorandum that defense counsel for 3M desperately fought to exclude from evidence. Just before trial, Judge M. Casey Rogers blasted defense counsel for trying yet again to get keep the memo out.

The 5^th Bellwether Case: Michelle Blum v. 3M

The trial that concluded on Thursday was the 5^th “bellwether case” in the massive 3M combat arms earplugs litigation which is the largest consolidated mass tort in U.S. history. Over 200,000 plaintiffs have filed earplug lawsuits against 3M  claiming that the company’s earplugs were defective and failed to protect them from hearing damage.

Several studies have found an association between cow’s milk-based infant formulas and necrotizing enterocolitis. As a result, plaintiffs have filed NEC infant formula lawsuits against Mead Johnson and Abbott Laboratories, the manufacturers of Enfamil and Similac, respectively. They allege that these formulas cause necrotizing enterocolitis.

This is what you need to know about infant formulas, necrotizing enterocolitis, the studies on the relationship between the two, and the recently filed baby formula lawsuits.

Infant formula types

Over the last 5 years, the size and scale of mass torts in MDLs (Multidistrict Litigation) has unprecedented levels. With over 250,000 claims, the 3M Earplugs MDL is now the single largest consolidated mass tort ever. Meanwhile, the Zantac MDL has grown to include over 140,000 claims.

Each of these massive MDLs is being overseen and managed by a single federal judge. This monumental feat of judicial administration has been made possible through the application of innovative new technologies and new judicial procedures such as electronic claims registries and administrative dockets.

Claim Registries and Administrative Dockets in Large MDLs

Yesterday, October 5, 2021, Bayer notched its very first courtroom victory in the Roundup litigation saga when a jury in Los Angeles County ruled that Roundup was “not a substantial factor” in causing a 10-year-old boy to develop Burkitt’s lymphoma. This is only the 4^th Roundup case to be decided by a jury. The first 3 resulted in massive losses for Bayer.

San Bernardino Justice Center

Aside from giving Bayer a much-needed moral victory, this verdict probably won’t have any impact on the future course of the Roundup lawsuits or settlement payouts. This case presented a highly unique fact pattern because it involved very limited and indirect exposure to Roundup for only a short period during the plaintiff’s childhood.

Hundreds of CPAP users have filed suit against Philips after the company announced a sweeping safety recall covering over 10 million of its CPAP and BiPAP devices. These lawsuits allege that the first-generation DreamStation CPAP machines contained a sound abatement foam that degraded over time and exposed users to toxic chemicals. This post will provide a brief overview of the Philips CPAP recall and look at the specific allegation in some recent CPAP recall lawsuits.

Philips Recalls CPAP Machines

On June 14, 2021, Philips announced a massive safety recall of almost all of the company’s CPAP and BiPAP devices, including the popular DreamStation line of products. The recall impacted an estimated 10 million devices that are primarily used for the treatment of sleep apnea and similar conditions.