Diabetes Drug Results in Lawsuits

As everyone knows, Type 2 Diabetes has become a major health problem in the United States. It has been estimated that if the current trend continues, 1 in 3 Americans will develop this disease in the coming decades. Because of the remarkably high incidence of this disease, drug companies have rushed to provide prescription medicines to handle the symptoms. Among these is the company GlaxoSmithKline, which developed Avandia in 1999. Hailed as a wonder drug at the time, it has since proven to be a dangerous pharmaceutical associated with adverse side effects, which has contributed to serious health damage and even death in some patients. So far, the drug has not been recalled by the FDA but it now requires a Black Box warning to alert patients to the potential dangers connected with its use.

Besieged by thousands of lawsuits, the manufacturers of Avandia have agreed to a settlement in which they expect to pay $3 billion to the U.S. government to resolve both civil and criminal claims. The Justice Department has investigated GlaxoSmithKline's development of the drug as well as its marketing to the public. Side effects of the drug include increased risks for heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke, vision loss, liver failure, and sudden cardiac arrest. GlaxoSmithKline is also the manufacturer of the controversial drugs Wellbutrin which is an antidepressant as well as the antidepressant Paxil, which can cause birth defects in infants born to mothers who use it during pregnancy.

How a Prescott Personal Injury Lawyer can Help

If you have suffered health damage through the use of a dangerous prescription drug such as Avandia, you may need to discuss your situation with an experienced attorney. In Prescott, Arizona the personal injury law offices of Knowles Law Firm offers capable legal guidance and representation in cases of injury stemming from defective products including dangerous pharmaceuticals. A Prescott defective product lawyer can review and analyze your situation to determine the proper course of legal action. You may be eligible to file an injury claim for the damages you have sustained through the prescribed use of such a drug.

Contact a Prescott defective product attorney for skilled legal assistance today.