Oxycontin Lawsuit
A Brief Guide to Filing an Oxycontin Lawsuit:
What is Oxycontin?
Oxycontin (also known as Oxycodone) is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. Oxycontin belongs to a class of medications known as opiate analgesics. The drug is effective by changing the way the nervous system and brain respond to pain.
Oxycontin, like all opioid narcotics, is susceptible to being abused because of its euphoric-inducing properties.
Oxycontin is heavily regulated by the FDA. In addition to being addictive, the drug poses numerous side effects.
Oxycontin Side Effects:
Oxycontin side effects may appear regardless of dosage frequency or strengths. Please tell your doctor if you experience any of the following Oxycontin side effects:
• Common Oxycontin Side Effects Include: nausea; loss of appetite; constipation; vomiting; dry mouth; lightheadedness; flushing; sweating; weakness; mood swings; decrease in pupil size; red eyes; itching; drowsiness.
Some Oxycontin side effects are deemed severe; if you experience any of the following Oxycontin side effects you must discontinue use and seek immediate medical help:
• Serious Oxycontin Side Effects Include: slow or rapid heartbeat; difficulty breathing; hives; rash; swelling of the throat, face, tongue, eyes, lips, feet, hands, ankles or lower legs; hoarseness; difficulty swallowing; seizures; confusion; fainting; dizziness; loss of consciousness.
If you experience serious Oxycontin side effects, you or your medical professional may file a report with the United States Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program at http:www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch or via phone at 1-800-332-1088.
Oxycontin FDA Warnings:
Oxycontin, because of its addictive properties and side effects, should only be administered to people who require regularly scheduled doses of pain medication to treat persistent pain for an extended length of time.
The FDA states that Oxycontin in the 60-mg and 160-mg form (not available in the US) should only be used to treat those who are tolerant to narcotic pain medication. Improper administration of these Oxycontin pills may cause serious respiratory problems or death.
Oxycontin Lawsuits:
The pain reliever Oxycontin is highly addictive, with potentially fatal results for those who overuse the medication. To guard against such Oxycontin side effects, prescriptions and use are tightly regulated. However, when the medication was introduced to the market, manufacturing company Purdue Pharma did not provide sufficient prescription information warning of the potential for Oxycontin addiction. Failure to warn the general public of these reactions is deemed negligent, and thus serves as grounds for Oxycontin lawsuits.
Until 2004, no Oxycontin lawsuit was successfully pursued against Purdue Pharma. However, by the middle of 2011, 121 Oxycontin suits were filed regarding Oxycontin addiction--all Oxycontin lawsuits were eventually dismissed.
Oxycontin lawsuits, because of the drug’s severe side effects and addictive qualities, are not uncommon. Users of the drug file Oxycontin lawsuits against the manufacturer, typically for underreporting the aforementioned risks or against their respective doctors for negligently prescribing the medication. Regardless of why Oxycontin lawsuits are filed, litigation seeks a uniform result—renumeration for pain and suffering, lost wages from missed work and medical expenses.
The first Oxycontin lawsuit to successfully procure a settlement came in 2007; the basis for the federal Oxycontin lawsuit alleged that the company had fraudulently encouraged over-prescription of the drug. As a result, Oxycontin side effects could be traced to the company's actions. This Oxycontin lawsuit distributed $130 million to victims of Oxycontin addiction. A period of two years was set for victims to obtain their portion of the settlement from this Oxycontin lawsuit.
Private Oxycontin lawsuits concerning side effects have not been widely successful; however, a large number of Oxycontin lawsuits were settled out-of-court.
In response to Oxycontin lawsuits, the Purdue Pharma took additional steps to guard against dangerous Oxycontin side effects, including the development of a new drug that is more difficult to break down. The creation of the new pill attempts to mitigate the risk of Oxycontin addiction. Additionally, a warning in the drug’s prescription label now warns of the potential for abusive intake leading to dangerous Oxycontin side effects.
Since information concerning the drug's potentially habit-forming qualities is now widely known, it is difficult to pursue an Oxycontin lawsuit related to abuse. The risk of Oxycontin addiction is clearly explained by the manufacturer in the information provided on the package label. Additionally, doctors are required to explain the potential Oxycontin side effects—including addiction-- before prescribing the course of medication.
Patients with asthma or other breathing problems face an increased risk of developing serious Oxycontin side effects. Physicians may be deemed negligent if they do not inquire about a patient's medical history, before prescribing Oxycontin.
Sources:
1. United States National Library of Medicine “Oxycodone” retrieved from:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000589/
2. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm207480.html
3. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm207196.html
4. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM208530.pdf
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