Unsafe drugs can do much more than delay your recovery. They can cause a host of health complications you otherwise would not have suffered. Uloric (febuxostat) by the manufacturer Takeda Pharmaceuticals is currently at the center of possible multidistrict litigation for allegedly withholding the known risks of Uloric. If Uloric has injured you or a loved one, speak to an attorney about the developments in the case.
What Is Uloric?
Uloric is a drug physicians commonly prescribe to treat gout. It lowers uric acid levels in the body to relieve symptoms. Patients take Uloric once per day to remove extra uric acid. It may take several months for patients to feel the effects of Uloric. Uloric is one of the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs for treating gout.
Unfortunately, it could come with serious health risks.
The Risks of Taking Uloric
When the FDA approved Uloric in 2009, it required Takeda Pharmaceuticals to conduct a drug safety study. Uloric contained a Warning and Precaution about potential cardiovascular problems starting in 2009. When Takeda completed its safety trial on more than 6,000 patients, it found that Uloric can increase the risk of heart-related deaths compared to other gout medications. About 15 cardiovascular-related deaths occurred for every 1,000 patients taking Uloric.
The most common adverse outcomes in patients during the trial were heart-related death, non-deadly stroke and heart attack, and unstable angina (lack of proper blood flow to the heart). If a patient notices symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, numbness or weakness in the body, dizziness, or severe headache, they should see their doctors. Physicians should warn patients of the heart-related risks of Uloric before prescribing.
The Uloric Litigation
Cases against Takeda Pharmaceuticals allege that the company knew or should have known about the risks of Uloric yet failed to warn patients. The litigation is seeking (took out multidistrict – it hasn’t been filed yet as an MDL) financial compensation for patients who suffered heart complications and other harms while taking Uloric. Patients may be eligible for payment for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages from Takeda for its negligence.
What to Do If You Think You Have a Case
If you or a loved one has taken Uloric for at least 30 days and is experiencing cardiovascular problems, speak to an attorney about joining the potential litigation concerning Uloric.
An attorney can investigate your situation, help you gather evidence, and take care of confusing paperwork to investigate your possible claim. Contact Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault Co. for assistance with your Uloric lawsuit.
Initial consultations are free.
Michael Bell, is Partner and Personal Injury Attorney at GT&B since 2007. His entire career has been committed to protecting the rights of those injured through no fault of their own. Mike concentrates his practice in the areas of car wrecks, trucking accidents, medical negligence, wrongful death, birth injuries, defective products, nursing home abuse & neglect, dog bites, construction accidents and slip & falls.
