Every year, millions of Americans take medicine or undergo surgeries without a second thought. The sad fact is that medical malpractice is more common than people think, and in the same vein, there is a history of drugs being recalled. Today it seems like recalls are just a fact of life, from food to cars, nothing is safe from being recalled. These are some of the largest drug recalls in the history of the FDA:
- Fenfluramine/phentermine (Fen-Phen)
Fen-Phen was a widely popular weight loss drug in the 90’s which was linked to heart disease and pulmonary problems. As many as 6.5 million people used Fen-Phen before it was recalled in 1997 after 24 years on the market. Legal expenses and awards may have exceeded $21 billion, making it one of the largest recalls in history.
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES)
DES was used throughout the 50’s, 60’s and early 70’s to prevent miscarriages and other complications during pregnancy. DES was linked to rare tumors found in the daughters of women who took the drug. While recalled for use on women, DES can still be prescribed to men to treat estrogen deficiency.
- Cerivastatin (Baycol)
Baycol was prescribed to patients with high cholesterol and is thought to be linked to more than 100,000 deaths. Baycol was linked to a muscle disorder that clogs the kidneys with protein from dying muscle tissue and recalled in 2001.
- Rofecoxib (Vioxx)
Vioxx is one of the largest drug recalls in history. Vioxx was prescribed to more than 20 million people for arthritis but was responsible for increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Vioxx was recalled in 2004 after five years on the market.
If you live in Nebraska and have taken a drug or had a medical device implanted that made you ill, our attorneys can work to recover money to pay your medical bills, lost wages, permanent or temporary disability, rehabilitation or other costs related to your condition. Our firm has experience with these types of claims, and we work with teams of medical experts, who pinpoint the causes of your illness and determine if a negligent drug company or medical device manufacturer contributed to or caused it. Call us today for a free case consultation.