Tag: prescription drugs
Compensation for unsatisfactory safety information
You could be eligible to claim compensation if you have suffered any form of injury, loss or distress as a result of unsatisfactory safety information relating to products or services.
In many such incidents, several people are involved, which is what we specialise in as group and multi-party action lawyers who can help and represent people affected. You can talk to our friendly team for free, no-obligation legal advice here now.
Tavistock gender clinic legal action
The Tavistock gender clinic could be facing considerable legal action, and our Group Action Lawyers are available for free, no-obligation legal advice now.
The matters surrounding the clinic relate to minors undergoing treatment for gender dysphoria and engaging in transitioning services. The media has widely publicised criticism in relation to the treatment that was provided for minors, and a recent interim report from Dr Hilary Cass identified the requirement for changes.
Our lawyers and legal team are able to speak to anyone who feels they may have been let down by the Tavistock gender clinic, and discuss whether there could be a case for compensation to answer.
Medical product claims for compensation
The Group Action Lawyers has a leading team of experts who have been representing victims in medical product claims for compensation for over a decade.
Patients who suffer due to defective and/or dangerous devices and medicines can, in some cases, end up with serious or permanent injuries. When it comes to medical devices, any form of invasive surgery has risks, so any need to repeat surgeries and remove and/or remove and replace devices can lead to huge risks in some cases. It can also lead to unnecessary suffering, and this is a factor that people deserve to be compensated for.
Our history when it comes to medical group actions is extensive, and our team is always happy to provide free, no-obligation advice to anyone in need of us.
Rise in anti-depressants prescriptions for children
The reported rise of anti-depressants prescriptions for children could be a cause for concern, particularly when the use of anti-depressants is not generally recommended by the NHS for under 18’s.
Recent figures reportedly show over 1,500 children under the age of 5 were prescribed anti-depressants, with the numbers reaching over 91,000 for 16-year olds.
Any recent reported rise in anti-depressants prescriptions for children could be partially attributed to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in March. Many people, children included, have struggled to receive professional mental health services as the waiting times are so long. With the NHS staff under further pressure to cope during the pandemic, many surgeries and treatments have seen pauses and delays as resources are directed elsewhere.
Patient information leaflet errors
Patient information leaflet errors can, in the worst-case scenarios, cause severe problems for those who have used the wrong medication or used meds incorrectly due to the error.
When these scenarios happen, a recall will usually be launched and announced via the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Information about the recall will normally be distributed so that patients can be made aware, but this won’t always stop an adverse incident from occurring.
With this in mind, here’s a little advice about what to do if you have suffered harm as a result of following the incorrect information for medication or a product in general.
Xarelto compensation settlements
Big news! Xarelto compensation settlements are taking place, with almost £600m in damages set to be paid out by Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson.
The settlements are for around 25,000 lawsuits in the U.S., where Bayer and J&J have reportedly agreed to settle the litigation for $775m. The Group Action Lawyers continue to fight for justice for UK victims who are suffering side-effects of taking the drug, that’s also known as Rivaroxaban. You can read more about the UK action here.
While the companies maintain that the claims are without merit, and the settlement is made without an admission of liability, this is a huge result. The two companies are set to be sharing the burden of the cost as they jointly-developed the drug.
Are you suffering with valsartan side effects?
If you’re suffering with valsartan side effects, you may want to read this article and take heed of some important information about the drug.
Last year, a Class 1 Medicines Recall was initiated by Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The recall stems from potential contamination that comes from the production process that could be incredibly serious for anyone affected. In fact, in the US, lawsuits have been active for some time now. When members of the Group Action Lawyers attended a conference in the U.S. last year, it was clear to us just how serious this issue could be.
If you’ve been taking the medication here in the UK and you’ve suffered problems or side effects, we may need to speak with you.
Valsartan recall widens
The Valsartan recall widened last month following updated advice from the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA).
Batches of products containing Valsartan that were supplied by Teva UK Ltd and Mylan are being recalled in the UK. This follows on from a drug alert earlier this year that was issued after the discovery that some Valsartan products were contaminated. Legal cases are already underway, and this latest recall involves further batches of the product.
An immediate suspension and quarantine of the additional affected products has been ordered.
Risperdal compensation deal agreed ahead of trial
A Risperdal compensation deal has been agreed ahead of a trial. This is said to be one of many potentially multi-million-pound settlements over the drug.
Some users who have been taking Risperdal medication have suffered severe side-effects. The use of the drug has also been involved in off-label marketing; i.e. using the drug for alternative reasons than what regulators have approved the drug for.
Off-label marketing can be a real problem for consumers. When pharmaceutical giants see slow sales in particular products, they can be tempted to repackage them and sell them for different uses. Sometimes this isn’t a bad thing, but when the drug isn’t approved for certain uses, and where certain side-effects are prominent in off-label uses, people can suffer.
A troubling testimony in the Gosport War Memorial Hospital deaths
A troubling testimony in the Gosport War Memorial Hospital deaths has been recounted in the recent independent inquiry that deemed some 450 deaths at the hospital were linked to an unsafe opioid-use policy.
Families who have been fighting for an inquiry for years have finally received the news that they say they knew all along: that their loved-ones died in the hospital prematurely.
At the centre of the Gosport War Memorial Hospital deaths scandal is Dr Jane Barton; the GP stationed there who claims that she was only ever doing the best for her patients. One particularly troubling testimony from 2001 that was recounted in the independent report paints a different story entirely.
Gosport hospital deaths could have been avoided
According to an independent report, 450 Gosport hospital deaths could have been avoided after life-shortening opioids were reportedly given to elderly patients who did not need them.
The damning report found that a GP working at the hospital, Dr Jane Barton, routinely overprescribed drugs to patients in the 1990s, and consultants who were aware of her actions did not intervene. Further, nurses and pharmacists would have known that the high levels of opioids administered would not always have been appropriate, and they too failed to stop the deaths.
After years of the families campaigning and suffering over the Gosport hospital deaths, the report has finally confirmed what they already knew.
Calls for UK inquiry into sodium valproate epilepsy drug
There are calls for a UK inquiry into the sodium valproate epilepsy drug that has been linked to birth defects and developmental issues in children.
It’s also understood that UK health professionals were warned about the dangers of people using sodium valproate epilepsy drugs, but little seems to have been done – especially in the past – to ensure users were informed of the risks and were able to make decisions as to the use of the drug.
There are also questions over whether the drug should be classed as safe at all, and the HSE is reportedly looking at the issue. We may see a UK inquiry into the side-effects soon.