Drug/Pharmaceutical Claims Attorneys

Boca Raton Defective Drug & Defective Product Litigation Lawyers

Tens of millions of Americans take prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly half of all Americans use prescription drugs on a regular basis. Nearly a third of Americans use two or more drugs, and more than one in ten use five or more prescription drugs regularly.

Some use medical devices and drugs to aid in the treatment of various medical conditions such as arthritis, severe pain, high cholesterol, mental disorders, and heart problems. When a doctor or drug manufacturer recommends a prescription or over-the-counter drug, consumers have the right to assume that the drug will improve their condition and not endanger or put their life at risk.

The following defective products/dangerous drugs have either been recalled or warnings have been issued regarding the serious side effects, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful deaths they may pose for users:

Actos - Manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Actos is a prescription medication used with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar (glucose) control in adults with type 2 diabetes. The FDA has stated that use of the diabetes medication Actos® (pioglitazone) for more than one year may be associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer. Often used an alternative to Avandia, some consumers also claim increased incidents of heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure, and even death while using the drug.
Bextra – Manufactured by Pharmacia Corporation and distributed by Pfizer, Bextra is a treatment for arthritis and joint disorders (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and dysmenorrhea). It is linked to high incidences of heart attacks, strokes, and potentially fatal skin conditions.
Celebrex – Manufactured by Pfizer, Celebrex is a COX-2 inhibitor and used in the treatment for arthritis and pain (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and dysmenorrhea). It is linked to high incidences of heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.
Crestor - Manufactured by Astra-Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Crestor is a cholesterol-lowing drug. It is linked to rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle fibers that can lead to kidney damage.
Ephedrine/Ephedra - Ephedrine is a treatment for weight loss and an energy supplement. It has a high amount of caffeine or other stimulants that place the user at an increased risk for serious side effects, including heart attacks, strokes, seizures, psychosis, depression, and death.
Fosamax – Manufactured by Merck, Fosamax is prescribed for bone loss (osteoporosis). It is linked to an increased risk of jaw bone death (osteonecrosis [ONJ], an infection and eventual rotting of the jawbone).
Guidant Defibrillators – Manufactured by Guidant Corp. and Medtronic, Inc., Guidant Defibrillators are medical devices used to detect and treat tachycardia (when the heart beats too fast or irregularly) and fibrillation (ventricles quiver ineffectively so the heart pumps little or no blood), and to prevent sudden cardiac arrest. It is linked to defects (wire issues [Sprint Fidelis leads], electrical and computer memory errors) that can cause them to malfunction and prevent the life-saving shock defibrillator patients rely on.
Pradaxa – manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim, Pradaxa (dabigatran) is used to help prevent blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation (condition in which the heart beats irregularly, increasing the chances of clots forming in the body, possibly causing strokes) without heart valve disease. It is often used as a replacement to the blood thinner Coumadin. It is linked to internal bleeding, ulcers, cerebral hemorrhage, life-threatening bleeding, and death.
Paxil – Manufactured by SmithKline Beecham, Paxil (SSRI) is an antidepressant used to treat depression, anxiety, panic, obsessive-compulsive activity, and post traumatic stress in adults. It is linked to birth defects, extreme acts of violent behavior (akathisia), and suicides.
Vioxx – Manufactured by Merck, Vioxx is used as a Rheumatoid arthritis treatment. It is linked to an increase risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.
Yaz – Manufactured by Bayer HeathCare Pharmaceuticals, Yaz is a popular oral contraceptive (birth control) and can also be used to treat acne and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The drug contains drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, a bioactive form of estrogen. It is linked to incidences of heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, pancreas, gall bladder damage, and even death.
Zyprexa – Manufactured by Eli Lilly, Zyprexa is a treatment for mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder). It is linked to an increased risk of diabetes and other complications.

The pharmaceutical drug litigation, defective products, and medical negligence attorneys at Baker, Zimmerman, & Perez have the experience and skill to successfully represent the victims of drug side effects, prescription errors, drug injuries, medical device malfunctions, false advertising, and other pharmaceutical litigation matters.

If you or a loved one has been injured or has died due to a dangerous drug or defective product and would like to learn more about your legal rights, please or call (954) 509-1900 or toll free at (800) 886-LAWS. We offer free consultations and charge you only if we win your case.