The painkiller OxyContin has played an outsized role in the opioid crisis, which has killed at least 470,000 people since 2000. Originally intended as a drug for severe pain, OxyContin was prescribed widely for moderate pain, exposing millions to the risk of addiction...
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Defective Drugs
Johnson & Johnson to pay $5 billion toward US opioid settlement
According to the Centers for Disease Control, overdoses involving prescription and illegal opioids kill 128 people every day in the United States. Since 1999, over 750,000 people in the U.S. have died from opioid overdoses.Who is responsible? With this many deaths,...
Bayer to settle US Essure contraceptive claims for $1.6 billion
Conceptus, Inc.'s product Essure was an implantable contraceptive device used by millions of women in the U.S. and abroad. Germany-based Bayer AG acquired Conceptus in 2013 for $1.1 billion. In 2016, the FDA required a safety warning on Essure's label and Bayer...
Enough opioid prescriptions for half of all Americans?
"We're 5% of the world's population, but we consume 80% of the world's prescription opioids," says one Stanford medical researcher of the U.S.That's a problem, especially because opioid painkillers put people at risk for addiction and overdose. Nevertheless, according...
Common heartburn drugs pulled over cancer concerns
Acid reflux and heartburn is a common condition for which many Americans take medication to relieve daily symptoms. But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has become concerned that a drug called ranitidine, found in prescription drugs and the over-the-counter...
Did Walmart obstruct the opioid investigations?
After a civil lawsuit is filed, a process goes on called "discovery." In this process, each side gets to investigate and gather information, including from the other side. This includes asking questions to be answered under oath, asking for admissions, seeking copies...
Weight loss drug Belviq pulled from market for cancer risk
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration asked the Japanese drug maker Eisai Inc. to pull its weight loss drug Belviq from the market due to concerns the drug can slightly increase the user's risk of cancer. The extended release version of the drug is also...
Addicted to Purdue Pharma opioids? June 30 deadline for claims
People injured by their opioids can file personal injury claims directly against Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of the painkillers OxyContin, MS Contin and Ryzolt. Purdue is in bankruptcy, and part of that process involves divvying up the company's assets among...
California may declare acetaminophen a known human carcinogen
Acetaminophen is one of the most common over-the-counter drugs in the world. It is known by the brand names Tylenol and Excedrin, and it is found in many OTC remedies for pain, flu and fever. It has been available without a prescription in the U.S. since 1955. Now,...
Warning: Gabapentin with opioids can cause breathing problems
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has ordered manufacturers to include warnings on the product labels for gabapentinoids, certain drugs that depress the central nervous system, and opioids. The warning will indicate that taking gabapentinoids with opioids can...