Millions of families trust nursing homes to care for their loved ones. Unfortunately, not all nursing facilities care for their patients properly, leading to numerous cases of nursing home abuse and neglect each year. In fact, more than 40% of [...]
Any sort of faulty or defective product could potentially be harmful to the user, but defective medical devices are particularly dangerous. When you use a medical product or device, you have a right to expect a certain level of safety [...]
When you receive a prescription from a doctor, you likely aren’t worried about how that drug might be defective or dangerous. Unfortunately, patients prescribed Zofran discovered the drug to be both defective and dangerous for pregnant women. About Zofran Zofran [...]
What Is Mesothelioma? Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that forms in the thin layer of tissue called the “mesothelium,” which covers most internal organs. In most cases, mesothelioma affects the lining of the lungs and chest wall, but it can [...]
Later in September of 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of many liquid pharmaceutical products because of possible bacterial contamination. The products made by PharmaTech LLC in Davie, Florida, included liquid stool softeners, liquid vitamin D [...]
Just last month, Abbott (which combined with St. Jude Medical in January) issued a recall of 465,000 pacemakers that will require patients to visit their doctor or hospital for an update on cybersecurity. The devices they’re recalling are cardiac pacemakers [...]
KG attorneys Jeffrey Kaiser, Lawrence Gornick and David Markevitch represented the family of Mark Lopez at trial against Hillshire Brands Co. On August 16, 2017, the jury found the company liable for causing Lopez’s death from mesothelioma and awarded $13 [...]
KG attorneys Jeffrey Kaiser, Lawrence Gornick and David Markevitch represented the family of Mark Lopez at trial against Hillshire Brands Co. On August 16, 2017, the jury found the company liable for causing Lopez’s death from mesothelioma and awarded $13 [...]
DePuy is one of the makers of a metal-on-metal hip replacement device, the DePuy’s ASR hip resurfacing system. Thousands of U.S. patients opted to have hip-replacement surgery in Hyderabad, India, using this particular device. The reason for this medical tourism [...]
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Cantrell Drug Company has recalled almost 30 lots of various sterile drug products because of a concern over their actual sterility. The products were distributed across the country to various healthcare facilities [...]
Malignant mesothelioma is a type of rare cancer that usually develops after exposure to asbestos, a product commonly used as a building material prior to the 1970s. It affects about 3,000 people per year in the United States. Mesothelioma is [...]
Januvia is the marketed name of sitagliptin, an oral antihyperglycemic drug used to manage Type 2 diabetes. Januvia is a prescription drug used in incretin therapy, which signals the pancreas to create more insulin and decrease the sugar made by [...]
Drug manufacturing mega-giant Johnson & Johnson has faced its fair share of lawsuits over the last several years, and one of the latest involves a class of type 2 diabetes treatment drugs known as GLT-2 inhibitors. Johnson & Johnson, along [...]
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently banned the use of powdered gloves in surgery and other medical and dental procedures. Pre-powdered exam gloves, pre-powdered surgeons’ gloves, and absorbable powder use for lubricating surgeon’s gloves are no longer allowed to [...]
According to a recent court order, a group of ten cases, this time with New York plaintiffs, are currently being worked up for another bellwether trial scheduled to take place in September of this year. Expert disclosures have been submitted [...]
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a British pharmaceutical company, is recalling more than half a million asthma inhalers in a Level II voluntary recall. Ventolin HFA 200D inhalers have been recalled because of a possible malfunction with the delivery system of the medication. [...]
On May 8, 2017, US District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly ruled on several matters regarding the upcoming MDL bellwether trials (In e: Testosterone Replacement Therapy Products Liability Litigation). AbbVie, the manufacturer of AndroGel, had filed motions to exclude expert testimony [...]
St. Jude Medical defibrillators were implanted in patients even after a formal recall of the defective devices last year, according to a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The warning letter to St. Jude indicated the agency [...]
Epinephrine autoinjectors, otherwise known as EpiPens, are medical devices used to inject a measured dose of epinephrine to help treat anaphylaxis. Many people depend on these devices to survive potentially life-threatening allergic responses. Just last month, Meridian Medical Technologies, a [...]
AndroGel is one of many brand names of testosterone prescribed for a number of different uses. This brand is a topical gel used to provide patients with higher levels of testosterone, a naturally occurring hormone necessary for many processes in [...]
A recent study published in the JAMA Surgery journal suggests that IVC filters – commonly thought of as life-saving devices – might not be the safest option for some patients; especially those who didn’t need them in the first place. [...]
Taxotere is the brand name of docetaxel, a chemotherapy medication used to treat various types of cancer, including cancer that affects the breasts, head and neck, stomach, prostate, and non small-cell lung. Like most chemotherapy drugs, it does have side [...]
Essure is a kind of permanent, less-invasive sterilization procedure that women who want to avoid pregnancy have the option to use. The device is a coil designed to cause fibrosis and block the fallopian tubes to prevent fertilization. Many women [...]
Serious complications have been reported among patients implanted with Atrium C-QUR hernia mesh. Used to treat patients in need of hernia repair and reconstruction, C-QUR is different from many other mesh products out there in that its omega 3 gel [...]
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to hospitals and healthcare providers about dangerous medical carts that can catch on fire and explode. Nearly every hospital and medical facility uses battery-powered mobile medical carts which are [...]
Heartburn medication is often used to control stomach acid and treat conditions such as heartburn, acid reflux, peptic ulcers, and other related health conditions. Millions of people nationwide use over-the-counter or prescription heartburn medication to help them reduce the most [...]
Chronic heartburn is not a health condition that should be taken lightly. If unaddressed, it could cause significant damage to the stomach and esophagus, as well as lead to the development of certain cancers. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are drugs [...]
Severe infections in hospital patients around the country have been attributed to unclean and unsterilized endoscopes used in surgeries and routine examinations. It is believed that more than 30 patients have died in the last three years as a direct [...]
Although shareholders of St. Jude Medical Inc. (STJ) recently approved a $25 billion merger between the company and Abbot Laboratories (ABT), the medical device manufacturer is still facing considerable backlash over accusations that its cardiac implants can potentially be hacked. [...]
According to an article recently published by NPR, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that several major hospitals throughout the country are failing to accurately report patient deaths or injuries related to defective medical devices. As revealed in [...]
Retrievable IVC filters have recently been the center of numerous lawsuits for causing painful and often fatal side effects in patients. Adding insult to injury, so to speak, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has recently published a [...]
After the dangers of asbestos could no longer be denied by its manufacturers, disposal of discarded asbestos-based products or supplies often included burying it underground. Since mesothelioma is the most prevalent side-effect of asbestos exposure, and it is caused by [...]
Olympus Corporation of Japan (Olympus) is at the center of an ongoing investigation and will likely be targeted by a series of lawsuits due to tainted or infected duodenoscopes it manufactured. The infected duodenoscopes are thought to be the cause [...]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has warned parents that essentially any public school built before 1981 will have asbestos somewhere within its structure. When people are exposed to slight levels of asbestos, it could eventually develop into harmful [...]
Between July 8, 2016 and August 17, 2016, the FDA approved important safety updates to the labels of all SGLT2 inhibitors. These drugs are used to treat Type 2 diabetes by causing the kidneys to remove excess glucose from the [...]
Although the birth control device Essure was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002, the relative safety of the device is still under scrutiny. A noticeable percentage of women who have used Essure will develop some sort [...]
The cancerous cells grown by mesothelioma can cause painful side effects and life-threatening tumors if left unchecked. As soon as mesothelioma is diagnosed, it is important to begin exploring treatment options. In some instances, invasive surgery is required to locate [...]
New research published in the European Journal of Cancer could help with the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma in cancer patients. An international team of scientists has been able to successfully identify a new biomarker present in the blood of [...]
Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters have drawn heavy criticism and numerous lawsuits by patients who claim to have incurred injuries due device failure, manufacturer negligence, defective design, and misrepresentation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its communication [...]
Although asbestos use in manufacturing, construction, and mechanical industries has declined in recent years, it is still prevalent on many jobsites around the country. Workers who must handle asbestos may breathe in the fine fibers of this hazardous mineral, even [...]
On May 18, 2016, the FDA issued a safety communication that warns of increased risk of leg and foot amputations with Invokana and Invokamet. These drugs are marketed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals (a division of Johnson & Johnson) and contain the [...]
In early 2016, pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) was ordered by an Alabama court to pay $72 million in compensation to plaintiffs who claimed that a family member had died of ovarian cancer caused by her regular use of [...]
Asbestos materials are useful as insulators against electrical currents, heat and fire, and chemical degradation. Numerous industries use asbestos due to its lightweight and relatively low cost. However, for decades, the dangers of asbestos have been well-known by researches and [...]
Kaiser Gornick, LLP is committed to representing the injured in mesothelioma and defective products claims. Our unwavering advocacy on behalf of plaintiffs has enabled us to win hundreds of millions of dollars in recoveries on their behalf. As a result, [...]
Two years ago, several schools in or near Huntington Beach, California were closed up for renovations after it was discovered that building materials in the ceiling contained dangerous asbestos. More than a thousand students and their families were affected by [...]
Laparoscopic power morcellators have garnered a negative reputation in recent years as being far more dangerous than they are useful. But why? What do morcellators do that has the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) worried and doctors across the country [...]
On February 11, 2016, Arrow International, a division of Teleflex, announced a global recall of its Intra-Aortic Balloon (IAB) Catheter Kits and Percutaneous Insertion Kits. The recall was initiated on February 9, 2016. Arrow International first received approval for IABs [...]
Kaiser Gornick partner Dennis J. Canty has been appointed to the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee by Judge Kathryn H. Vratil of the District of Kansas in the Multi-District Litigation against Ethicon, Inc. (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), a manufacturer of [...]
On November 19, 2015, The National Law Journal published an article on the composition of the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee in Ethicon’s power morcellator MDL. According to the publication, Judge Kathryn H. Vratil from the U.S. District Court of Kansas “approved [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of MPS Delivery Sets by Quest Medical, Inc. The Sets are used to deliver solutions to the heart during cardiopulmonary bypass surgeries. Quest Medical has recalled certain lots of these defective [...]
On October 15, 2015, a panel of judges centralized all federal lawsuits involving Ethicon’s power morcellators in the U.S. District Court of Kansas under Senior Judge Kathryn H. Vratil. As of January 21, 2016, 33 lawsuits have been consolidated under [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Freedom Driver System by SynCardia Systems. The Freedom Driver System operates and monitors SynCardia's Total Artificial Heart, which serves as a temporary "mechanical replacement for a patient's heart." SynCardia Systems [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Hudson RCI Endobronchial Tube by Teleflex Medical. These tubes are inserted through the mouth into the bronchi of the lungs and are "used during a medical procedure that determines how [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Beacon Tip Angiographic Catheters by Cook Medical. These angiographic catheters "are used to inject contrast dye into blood vessels in the heart to prepare it for a type of X-ray [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of TigerPaw System II by Maquet Medical Systems. The TigerPaw System II "is a surgical staple used to close tissue in the left atrial appendage," a muscular ear-shaped pouch in the [...]
FBI Investigates Cancer Spread with Power Morcellators and What their Largest Distributor Knew On May 27, 2015, the Wall Street Journal reported that the FBI was investigating power morcellators that were “found to spread cancer in women” and “what the [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of various injectable medications by Mylan N.V. These pharmaceuticals include gemcitabine, carboplatin, methotrexate, and cytarabine, which are mostly used to treat various types of cancer. Mylan has recalled certain lots of [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Plum A+ and Plum A+3 Infusion Systems by Hospira. These devices are used to deliver fluids, including "critical intravenous medication... into a patient's body in controlled amounts." Hospira has recalled [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of MAQUET Servo Humidifier 163 by Teleflex Medical. These devices are "placed over a surgically-created opening in the throat or a tube inserted into the trachea to warm and moisten gases [...]
The FDA recently issued a safety communication about potentially serious health risks associated with the use of ERCP endoscopes (also called duodenoscopes). These medical devices are "flexible, lighted tubes that are threaded through the mouth, throat, stomach, [in order to [...]
On February 19, 2015, the Journal of the American Medical Association Oncology published an investigation on the use of power morcellators and the prevalence of hidden uterine cancer in women who undergo myomectomy. The lead researcher, Dr. Jason Wright, is [...]
The FDA recently issued a final order requiring "more rigorous review" of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in order to improve the safety and reliability of such medical devices on the market. AEDs are portable devices used to "provid[e] a rapid [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Halyard Health's KimVent* Microcuff* Endotracheal Tubes. These devices are plastic tubes "inserted into the windpipe (trachea)... to open an airway for mechanical breathing [or]... to remove fluid that builds up [...]
The FDA recently issued a safety warning about a serious condition associated with the use of the antipsychotic drug ziprasidone. Also marketed under the brand name Geodon, this drug is used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The FDA warning [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Siemens Healthcare Rapid Gram Negative Combo Panels. These devices are used to measure how certain bacteria respond to various types of antibiotics. Siemens Healthcare has recalled combo panels distributed between [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Hospira's Wall Mount and Desk Top GemStar Power Supplies. These accessories provide power to the GemStar Infusion Pump, which is "used to deliver controlled amounts of fluids including medicines, blood, [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Teleflex Medical's Hudson RCI Pediatric Anesthesia Breathing Circuits. These medical devices are used to administer medical gases to pediatric patients during anesthesia. Teleflex Medical has recalled breathing circuits with certain [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals and parents not to use or purchase "Bo Ying compound." This powdered product is manufactured by Eu Yan Sang (Hong Kong) Ltd. and is marketed for the treatment of various conditions in infants and [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Diamondback 360 Peripheral Orbital Atherectomy Systems. This medical device is inserted into patients' blood vessels and used "to reestablish blood flow in narrowed arteries." Cardiovascular Systems has recalled certain lot [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Cubist Pharmaceuticals' Cubicin (daptomycin for injection). Cubicin is an intravenous antibiotic prescribed "for the treatment of skin infections and certain bloodstream infections." Cubist Pharmaceuticals has recalled nine lots of Cubicin [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of GE Healthcare E-miniC Airway Modules and accessories. These medical devices are used in "health care facilities for monitoring CO2 [carbon dioxide] and respiration rates in patients weighing over 11 pounds." [...]
The FDA recently warned healthcare professionals of a recall of Medtronic Duet External Drainage and Monitoring System. The System is a device used to externally drain and monitor brain fluid. Medtronic Neurosurgery has recalled lots manufactured between March 2013 and [...]
The FDA recently issued a safety announcement alerting of serious risks associated with the use of lidocaine. Use of prescription oral viscous lidocaine to treat teething pain in infants and young children could result in grave harm, including death. The [...]
On 6/19/2014, the FDA issued a drug safety statement affecting all FDA-approved testosterone products currently on the market. According to the statement: "[FDA] is requiring manufacturers to include a general warning in the drug labeling of all approved testosterone products [...]
The FDA recently cautioned consumers not to purchase or use La Jiao Shou Shen, a product promoted as a weight loss supplement. A laboratory analysis conducted by the FDA confirmed the product contains the undeclared ingredients sibutramine and phenolphthalein. Sibutramine [...]
The FDA recently issued a safety announcement about the potential risks associated with the sleep aid Lunesta (eszopiclone). Lunesta is a sedative-hypnotic medicine used to treat insomnia. The FDA is warning that the drug" can cause next-day impairment of driving [...]
The FDA recently issued a safety warning about serious adverse effects associated with spinal injections of corticosteroids. Injectable corticosteroids are drugs that are often used to reduce swelling or inflammation. These include methylprednisolone, hydrocortisone, triamcinolone, betamethasone, and dexamethasone. Spinal injections [...]
The FDA recently issued a safety communication about the health risks associated with the use of laparoscopic uterine power morcellators. These medical devices are often used during various types of minimally invasive surgeries involving the uterus. Many women undergo such [...]
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently started a safety review of testosterone-containing products. The review was initiated at the request of the Estonian medicines agency due to concerns about harmful effects of testosterone therapy (TT) on the heart. These safety [...]
The FDA recently posted a press release by Pure Edge Nutrition, LLC, about the nationwide recall of certain lots of Bella Vi brand products. These products are marketed as dietary supplements for weight loss. Laboratory analyses conducted by the FDA [...]
On February 13, 2014, General Motors Company (GM) announced a recall of Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles (models 2005 through 2007). The recall was prompted by problems with the ignition switch that could cause the key to unintentionally turn [...]
The FDA recently posted a press release by Respironics, Inc., a Philips Healthcare business, about the worldwide recall of Trilogy Ventilator Models 100, 200 and 202. The Trilogy Ventilator device is used to provide "ventilatory support for the care of [...]
The FDA has recently issued a safety communication regarding a possible link between saxagliptin and heart failure. Saxagliptin, marketed as Onglyza and Kombiglyze XR by Bristol-Myers Squibb, is a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. The safety communication was [...]
The most recent issue of Harvard Men's Health Watch discusses the safety and risks associated with testosterone therapy (TT). The newsletter notes that millions of Americans undergo testosterone therapy, enticed by the myriad promises of lifestyle improvements offered by the [...]
The Endocrine Society has issued a statement highlighting the need for robust evaluation of the risks associated with testosterone therapy (TT). In it, the Society recommends that "patients should be made aware of the potential risk of cardiovascular events in [...]
A recent study published in 2013 warned that the risk of cardiovascular events is increased in men who have been prescribed testosterone therapy. Such cardiovascular events included heart attacks, congestive heart failures, coronary artery diseases, arrhythmias, and other cardiovascular disorders. [...]
A recent safety announcement issued by the FDA warned of safety risks associated with testosterone therapy (TT). In particular, the "FDA is investigating the risk of stroke, heart attack, and death in men taking FDA-approved testosterone products." Two recent publications [...]
The FDA has classified the recent device correction notice for TRUFILL n-BCA as a Class I recall. TRUFILL n-BCA is a device used for the treatment of Arterio-Venous Malformations, such as abnormal connection between the arteries and veins in the [...]
The FDA recently warned that Mass Destruction, a dietary supplement advertised as a muscle growth product, can lead to serious health effects. Mass Destruction is manufactured by North Carolina-based Blunt Force Nutrition, and it was the North Carolina Department of [...]
The FDA recently warned of rare, but serious side effects associated with the anti-seizure drug Onfi (clobazam). Onfi is a medication from the benzodiazepine family that is used to treat seizures associated with a severe form of epilepsy. It is [...]
A few days later, when the terror caused by the executions had died down, some of the animals remembered — or thought they remembered — that the Sixth Commandment decreed “No animal shall kill any other animal.” And though [...]
This is my second post in a series about the pending amendments to the FRCP. I began with commentary on the proposed amendment to FRCP 26(b)(1), which would narrow the scope of discovery. On to FRCP 37(e). First, the text [...]
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued proposed rules that would allow generic drug manufacturers to independently and promptly revise drug safety information by updating product labeling. Generic drugs are bioequivalent versions of brand name drugs. The former are [...]
On November 4, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and some of its subsidiaries will pay over $2.2 billion due to allegations regarding several prescription drugs. On November 7, 2013, as part of [...]
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men [and women] to do nothing.” While the origin of the saying is muddled, the message should be clear and familiar. It speaks of our responsibility to bind [...]
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced that Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and some of its subsidiaries will pay over $2.2 billion due to allegations regarding several prescription drugs. The claims include promotion of the drugs for unapproved uses [...]
By Kaiser Gornick LLP posted in Class Action on Monday, November 4, 2013 Ford Motor Co. recently reached a settlement over claims that it sold defective diesel engines. In particular, the settlement affects the now discontinued 6-liter PowerStroke diesel engines [...]
The FDA recently warned of a recall affecting LifeStent Solo Vascular Stent distributed between November 2011 and June 2012. The maker of this defective medical device, Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc., recalled the device and issued an Urgent Medical Device Recall [...]
The FDA recently warned of a possible link between OxyElite Pro and some 29 cases of acute non-viral hepatitis in Hawaii. OxyElite Pro is a dietary supplement advertised as aiding weight loss and distributed by USPlabs throughout the U.S. Some [...]
The FDA recently posted a press release regarding a voluntary global correction of Samaritan® 300/300P PAD public access defibrillators made by HeartSine Technologies, Ltd. According to the press release, issues with power management in defibrillators made prior to December 2010 [...]
