Articles Posted in Product Liability

Roundup is one of the most popular and widely used weed killers in the world. Roundup was first released in the early 1970s by Monsanto (now owned by pharma giant Bayer) and it eventually came to dominate the weed killer market, both commercial and residential. Roundup was everywhere and there was never any question about whether it was safe.

The end of Roundup’s success story began about 5 years ago when it was discovered that chronic exposure to the active ingredient in Roundup (glyphosate) could cause certain types of cancer. This discovery was followed by an inevitable tidal wave of lawsuits by individuals who were diagnosed with cancers such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after prolonged use of Roundup.

The Roundup lawsuits soon numbered in the thousands and were consolidated into multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Northern District of California. Monsanto (and its successor Bayer) has repeatedly refused to admit that Roundup is unsafe and aggressively defended its product in the courts.  After years of civil discovery and a series of “test trials” that resulted in massive plaintiff verdicts, Bayer finally gave in and announced that it was going to pay a staggering $10 billion to settle all of the Roundup lawsuits.

Last February, just before the coronavirus shutdowns put everything on pause, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Drug Safety Communication for the weight-loss drug Belviq. According to the FDA, studies show that Belviq increases the risk of certain types of cancers. In response to the FDA safety announcement for Belviq, Easai Inc. agreed to voluntarily withdraw the drug from the market. It now appears that Belviq is destined to suffer the same disastrous fate as many other prescription weight control drugs.

What is Belviq?

Belviq is the brand name for Lorcaserin, a new type of hormone appetite suppressant medication developed for the treatment of obesity. It was originally developed by Arena Pharmaceuticals and later manufactured and sold by Japanese-based pharmaceutical company Eisai.

The Zantac cancer lawsuits are heating up.  Discovery is moving forward surprisingly quickly given the pandemic and it may not be long before trials are being scheduled.

Plaintiffs’ lawyers are pushing like crazy for Zantac victims, including our law firm.  Our lawyers are moving quickly and we have already signed up scores of plaintiffs for the  Zantac cancer lawsuits. If you have cancer and were taking Zantac, don’t delay.  We are at the point where there are statute of limitations concerns.  Call us today at 800-553-8082 or get a free online claim evaluation.

On April 1, 2020, in the middle of a pandemic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested the removal of all Zantac and generic ranitidine products from the market, after discovering that levels of NDMA in the drug could increase with time and exposure to high temperatures.

The talcum powder lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson have been going on for years. The lawsuits allege that prolonged use of talcum powder (or “talc”), which is the active ingredient in products such as Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, can cause ovarian cancer in some women. Since the first studies linking talcum powder to cancer were made public, thousands of product liability lawsuits have been filed against J&J. The talcum powder lawsuits in federal courts have been consolidated into a class action MDL.

The latest big news is the announcement that J&J was paying $100 million to settle a large group of over 1,000 talcum powder cases in the MDL. This announcement marked a dramatic shift in J&J’s position on talcum powder claims. J&J had steadfastly refused to admit that there was anything wrong with talcum powder and the company had aggressively defended all claims.

So what prompted this change of heart? One of the primary motivating factors for J&J was a $2 billion dollar verdict awarded over the summer to 22 women in a Missouri talcum powder lawsuit. That is the kind of thing that wakes up a Fortune 500 giant like Johnson & Johnson.

Yesterday, I wrote about the rising Paragard litigation and the possibility of a class-action lawsuit.  Today, I’m writing about the history of IUDs for birth control.

The Paragard IUD is the most recent intrauterine contraceptive device to find itself embattled in a wave of product liability lawsuits in the U.S. Like so many of its predecessors in the IUD market, the Paragard turned out to have a hidden defect that caused serious health problems in many users.

The recently discovered issue with the Paragard is that the device frequently breaks apart when doctors attempt to remove it, causing fractured shards of plastic to poke around inside the uterus. This defect has already prompted a wave of Paragard IUD lawsuits around the country.

Recent studies and reports have found an association between Beovu and retinal vasculitis with vision loss. This comes only months after it received FDA approval.

What Are Beovu’s Common Side Effects?

Elmiron is the brand name of a popular prescription drug manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Millions of people take Elmiron every day to treat chronic bladder conditions. Last year, however, a research study confirmed that prolonged use of Elmiron can cause serious damage to the retinas in the eyes. Studies have conclusively established that extended use of Elmiron at high doses has caused permanent blindness and impaired vision.

After the release of these findings linking Elmiron to eye damage, a steady stream of dangerous drug lawsuits has been filed against Janssen alleging vision loss or damage caused by Elmiron. To date, just over 100 individual Elmiron lawsuits have been filed in federal courts around the country. More have been filed in state courts.

Elmiron MDL Class Action Pending

In a recent study, researchers found that the drug methotrexate may increase the risk for skin cancer as well as other adverse side effects such as gastrointestinal complications and lung problems.

What is methotrexate?

Methotrexate-based drugs are immunosuppressants which help treat inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center estimates that about 60 percent of rheumatoid arthritis patients are currently using or have used these medications. Methotrexate-based brands include Otrexup, Trexall, and Xatmep.

The Bard Recovery IVC filter and its ostensibly new and improved cousin, the Bard G2 IVC filter, have been linked to an increased risk of fracture which can cause serious injury or death.

The IVC filter lawsuits have been going on for a long time, too long.  We frequently get calls from people who are frustrated that their lawyer has “done nothing” to advance their case towards settlement.  This page gives you information if you have filed an IVC filter lawsuit or are thinking of filing such a claim.

Note: 2021 Update Below