Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog
Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration announced a voluntary recall of several lots of an increasingly popular drug that is designed to combat the effect of an opioid overdose. According to a recent news report discussing the voluntary recall, two specific lots of the drug Naloxone have been recalled based on the “potential presence of embedded and loose particulate matter on the syringe plunger.”
Hospira, the company that manufactures the drug, moved forward with the recall after it discovered that users may experience certain side effects if they inject the affected medication. These side effects include local irritation, an allergic reaction, inflammation of a vein, restriction of blood supply to healthy tissue, pulmonary embolism, and pulmonary infarction.
The FDA explains that users should be sure to check the medication before injecting it. Specifically, users should look for discoloration or particulate matter. The drug’s manufacturer explained that the recalled medication was provided to medical professionals and law enforcement. The company has stressed that none of the recalled lots were distributed to individual patients.
The Dangers of Recalled Medication
Prescription medications, by design, are powerful drugs with the capability to effect serious change on the human body. Of course, the intent of prescription medication, when properly used, is to create a positive change. However, if a medication does not perform as it is designed, patients can be seriously harmed as a result.
Drug manufacturers have a duty to all potential patients to create safe products. Of course, many prescription drugs come with less-than-desirable side-effects, and it is the manufacturer’s duty to warn patients of not just the likely side-effects, but all known possible side-effects. A manufacturer’s failure to provide a patient with this crucial information may result in the drug manufacturer being held liable for any harm suffered by a patient.
In the event of a recall, drug manufacturers must follow certain protocol in order to be protected from liability. These rules are complex, and vary according to a number of different circumstances. Thus, anyone who believes that they have been harmed due to a dangerous drug or harmful prescription medication should reach out to a pharmacy error attorney to discuss their options. Cases against pharmaceutical companies often require substantial preparation, including the presentation of one or more expert witnesses to explain how the dangerous drug interacts with the human body.
Have You Been the Victim of a Dangerous Drug?
If you or a loved one has recently taken prescription medication that did you more harm than good, or you know that you were given the wrong medication by a pharmacist, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. As mentioned above, these cases are highly fact dependent, and can be very complex. At the law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, we have extensive experience handling all kinds of pharmacy error cases, including those involving recalled prescription medication. To learn more, call 410-654-3600 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney to discuss your case today.
More Blog Posts:
Children Are Especially at Risk of Serious Injury or Death Following a Maryland Pharmacy Error, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, June 15, 2018.
Study Notes an Increase in Accidental Overdoses from Cancer Drug, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, July 2, 2018.