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Wrongful Death Claims-Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington D.C. or Eastern U.S.A.

    11/7/2008
    Richard N. Shapiro
    Comments (0)

    Virginia/Carolina Injury Lawyers-Fentanyl Patch-About Recalls, Deaths, Overdoses Connected with Powerful Pain Patches

    Our personal injury lawyers have accepted fentanyl patch cases involving overdose or death under highly unusual circumstances--such as a sudden wrongful death where the fentanyl drug be linked to overdose or death.  Fentanyl is one of the most powerful opioid analgesics with a potency approximately 81 times that of morphine.

    A number of fatal fentanyl overdoses have been directly tied to the drug over the past several years. In particular, several drug manufacturers of time-release fentanyl patches have already seen sued over allegations of defective product claims as well as other claims. One of several claims is that a malfunction of the patches caused an overdose of fentanyl to leak and to be absorbed by patients, resulting in life-threatening side effects and even death.

    Manufacturers of fentanyl transdermal pain patches have voluntarily recalled numerous lots of their patches and the FDA has issued Public Health Advisories related to the fentanyl patch dangers. Manufacturers affected include Janssen Pharmaceutica Products, L.P.; Alza Corporation; Actavis South Atlantic, LLC; Sandoz; Cephalon, Inc. and Mylan.

    On June 19, 2007, a $5.5 million jury verdict was awarded in a case against Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries, Alza Corporation and Janssen Pharmaceutica Products, the manufacturers of the Duragesic fentanyl transdermal pain patch. The case was tried in the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida, West Palm Beach Division. The jury reached a verdict for the family of a 28-year-old Florida man (Adam Hendelson) who died while wearing a fentanyl transdermal pain patch, and one allegation was that a defective "fold over" in the patch allowed a lethal amount of the drug to be absorbed.

    Fentanyl is a dangerous drug and medical providers and care-takers are prescribing this drug in situations that it is not required, due to inadequate instructions from the manufacturer we contend. Further, we believe that the dangers of fentanyl extend beyond the recalled defective Duragesic pain patches, and providers do not appreciate the high dangers associated with the fentanyl patch.

    Leaking Duragesic pain control patches can release enough fentanyl to cause an overdose. Symptoms and signs of a fentanyl overdose can include slowed breathing and heartbeat, pinpoint pupils, cold clammy skin, loss of or change in consciousness, and seizures.

    ___________________________
    Another FDA warning and discussion of Fentanyl issued by the FDA Consumer Magazine:

    (Feb. 17, 2008)

    Proper Use of Fentanyl Pain Patches

    By Michelle Meadows

    Fentanyl skin patches provide convenient and effective relief for many people who experience chronic pain, and who have been taking pain medications for long periods of time. But health care providers and patients should be aware that deaths and other serious problems have resulted from accidental overdoses related to inappropriate use of the fentanyl patch, the Food and Drug Administration says.

    The patch is applied to the skin and delivers fentanyl, a potent, strong opiate analgesic. The drug is slowly absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream and can relieve pain for up to three days from a single patch application.

    Some deaths have occurred because more than one patch was applied at the same time. Other problems associated with the patch include not removing one patch before applying another, and the failure of multiple caregivers to notice that someone else has applied a patch. The patches are clear, relatively transparent, and easily blend into the skin background.

    ******
    Too much medication from a fentanyl patch also could be absorbed if a patch is damaged or broken. The effects may also be exaggerated if a person wearing a patch drinks alcohol, or takes other medicines that depress brain function. "As part of its pain-relieving effect, fentanyl also causes brain depression as seen by some sleepiness and sedation," Stanski says. "This can add to the effects of other drugs like sedatives and tranquilizers."

    **********

    Death and other serious problems have occurred because people were accidentally exposed to the fentanyl patch. According to Janssen, a patch was transferred from an adult to a child while hugging. In another case of unintended exposure, someone accidentally sat on a patch.

    [portions omitted]

    ************************

    In order to prove negligence in a dangerous or defective drug case, it is crucial to have attorneys/lawyers that have both knowledge of the field and real trial experience. The Law Firm of Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis and Appleton routinely confer with some of the foremost medical experts in the country on behalf of their clients, and have a long and distinguished history of taking cases to trial with successful results. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dangerous or defective drug injury or death, please contact our offices for a free consultation today.

    Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases.  The firm's website is:  www.hsinjurylaw.com , and the firm edits two injury law blogs:  Virginia Beach Injuryboard & Norfolk Injuryboard.



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