Defective Drugs In The News: High-profile Drug Recalls

Sometimes enough people file drug lawsuits against defective drug that the volume and severity of complaints finally receives public attention. The media begins focusing on the defective drug lawsuit. Then the real stories come out and the pharmaceutical company at fault is held responsible. Here are some of the more recent high-profile defective drug recalls and lawsuits in the United States.

Vioxx
Manufactured by Merck and Company, Vioxx was approved by the FDA in 1999 to relieve the pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis or acute adult pain. The drug works by targeting and blocking COX-2 enzymes in the body. However, there was a high incidence of heart attacks, stroke, heart failure, blood clots, and other serious side effects in patients treated with Vioxx. In August of 2004, Merck released a report alleging the cardiovascular safety of the drug. It was later determined this report was based on a prematurely terminated clinical study, and that the company may have had prior knowledge of the link between the drug and cardiovascular problems. Vioxx was recalled on September 30, 2004. The FDA has estimated that Vioxx may be responsible for as many as 27,000 heart attacks and cardiac deaths between 1999 and 2003. Merck has put $4.85 billion dollars for payment to any qualifying settlements.

Fen-Phen
Dying to get thin? If you thought the miracle diet drug Fen-Phen was too good to be true, you were right. After thousands of patients who took Fen-Phen began reporting serious injuries such as heart valve defects, heart attacks, and chest pains, the FDA ordered the drug manufacturer, Wyeth (formerly American Home Products), to recall their drug. It is estimated that as of 2005, there have been 50,000 liability lawsuits filed by Fen-Phen victims. American Home Products announced it was setting aside $21.1 billion dollars towards settlements. The Fen-Phen lawsuit settlements were considered the largest products liability settlement of all time.

Accutane
Developed by Hoffmann-La Roche, Accutane is a medication prescribed for the treatment of acne. It was considered a breakthrough product when first developed in the 1980s and has been widely prescribed; thus, it was surprising when the drug was linked to terrible side effects, including severe birth defects, miscarriages, Crohns disease, and psychiatric disorders. Today, the drug has also been associated with an increased occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, depression, suicide, hepatitis, lupus, and kidney/liver damage. On November 20, 2008, a jury ruled that the drug manufacturer must pay $12.9 million towards settlements for people who filed lawsuits blaming the defective drug for causing irritable bowel syndrome.