Lawsuits Continue As Fen Phen Side Effects May Not Appear For Years
Pondimin and Redux were individually approved by the FDA as appetite suppressant prescriptions - but when they are used in combination, they pose a considerable health threat. The Fen Phen class action proceedings became possible after American Home Products Corporation issued a recall of both of these, which together make up the problematic diet drug, from the market due to a formal request from the Food and Drug Administration on September 15, 1997. The FDA’s recall came following clinical trials at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota found that users of drug combination resulted in a 23-fold increase of pulmonary hypertension (PPH), and showed 24 cases of its leading to a rare valvular heart disease. The drug combination was never actually approved and yet, before the product was recalled, over 6 million Americans had taken one or the other. In 1996, over 18 million took them together. When the connection became clear, thousands of lawsuits were filed. Because it was administered to over 18 million people in 1996 alone, the late nineties saw an influx of legal action. The FDA’s 1997 recall resulted in over 11,000 cases being filed against the company. Patients in the majority of the lawsuits sought monetary damages in connection with irreversible pulmonary hypertension, valvular heart disease, and other adverse conditions. The class settlements resulting from the lawsuits cost the company $4.83 billion, the largest product settlement of any kind to date. An FDA reviewer stated that American Home Products (now known as Wyeth) was aware of the danger of taking the medication but failed to report those concerns. There is currently no cure for PPH. The rare lung disease causes blood pressure in the pulmonary artery to rise to dangerous levels. Normal pressure is considered to be 14 mm Hg at rest. However, victims of the disorder average pulmonary artery blood pressure of greater than 25 mm Hg at rest and more than 30 mm Hg when engaged in exercise. This restricts the blood flowing through the vessels and puts a strain on the right ventricle, forcing it to work harder to pump enough blood through the lungs. Medical experts have testified that there is a potential latency period of 10 to 20 years from the last dosage until the onset of symptoms. Therefore, many people who took the drug over a decade ago are just beginning to experience adverse effects, resulting in new legal filings. Cardiologists have urged former users of the drug to see their doctor in order to be screened for valvular heart disease or primary pulmonary hypertension, as both diseases can prove fatal. Treatment is costly due to the chronic nature of the disease. Symptoms include: Wyeth has said that as many as 70,000 lawsuits have been filed so far. For over a decade, personal injury lawyers have been pursuing litigation against the company for compensation of monetary losses due to patients from primary pulmonary hypertension. If you have ever taken the medication, and feel that you are exhibiting the symptoms listed above, you may be eligible to join one of the Fen Phen lawsuits currently taking place. For further information on the side effects, or to inquire about a potential injury, speak to an attorney immediately to learn more about your legal rights.
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