As personal injury lawyers who are presently representing clients in matters involving injuries related to drugs with improper warnings and defective medical devices, we are proud to reveal the recent updates to these areas on our firm website. Recently we have expanded, web materials involving the following practice areas:

• Humira Neurological Injury:

In 2002, Abbott Labs introduced Humira to the marketplace as an injectable treatment for several medical conditions that primarily affected children and young adults. As a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNF blocker), Humira joined a family of drugs that was designed to kill the TNF cells. TNF blockers are thought to reduce inflammation that is responsible for causing pain related to an underlying condition.

The full extent of the neurological risks that were known by Abbott at the time Humira was brought to market is still unknown. But, at the very least, there were indications of demyelination complications in patients in Humira’s clinical trials.

While the alleged demylination injuries related to Humira vary in their severity, the injuries stem from the destruction of protective nerve covering (myelin sheath) that encompassed nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. When the myelin sheath is destroyed, nerve impulses slow or even stop, causing neurological impairment such as:

• Vision loss
• Hearing loss
• Headaches
• Loss of sensation
• Seizures
• Muscle spasms
• Loss of coordination
• Paralysis

•  Accutate Bowel Disease Lawsuits:

For almost 30 years, parents have looked to Accutane and its generic derivatives to help their children with severe acne.

As it turns out, Accutane was effective treating the acne, however scientists are just now confirming many of the suspected side-effects that Accutane users had long complained of including severe stomach problems related to the drug.

The medical and scientific communities have now conclusively established that Accutane use has been connected to a painful, embarrassing— and downright life changing condition known as Accutane Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a medical condition characterized by painful inflammation of the bowel that may contribute to: bowel bleeding, ulcers, bowel obstruction or a bowel rupture. Unlike common stomach or gas-related pain, IBD is a chronic condition with no cure....

• Topamax Birth Defects:

Women taking Topamax, a popular drug used to treat headaches and epilepsy, are more than three times more likely to give birth to a child with birth defects related to a child’s mouth such as: cleft lip or cleft palate compared with women taking other brands of epilepsy drugs. Researchers estimate that infants born to women taking Topamax have a 1.4% chance of a having a birth defect relating to their mouth.

As a result of these safety concerns, the FDA is requiring Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Topomax and to incorporate stronger warnings about use and pregnancy.

In particular, Topamax has been associated with birth defects such as:

• Cleft lip
• Cleft palate
• Heart defects
• Facial deformities
• Deformed limbs

•  DePuy Hip Recall Lawyers:

In 2010, the FDA ordered the recall of very popular DePuy hip replacement systems (ASR XL Acetabular System and Hip Resurfacing System) after they discovered that a significant number of the devices were indeed defective and required a second corrective surgery to remove the DePuy product and replace it with a new device.

Aside from the actual design of the hip, critics also fault Johnson and Johnson, a subsidiary DePuy, for the type of materials used to manufacture their device. In some patients, the metal-on-metal design of the hip implant has produced situations where bits of the metal splinters off and gets embedded in the surrounding tissue resulting in:

• Pain while walking
• Pain when sitting or getting out of a car
• Pain in the hip, thigh or groin
• Joint inflammation

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers remains committed to protecting the rights of the injured.  If you have a personal injury claim regarding a defective drug or medical device, we remain available to discuss your legal options.