Personal Injury Law

Massachusetts Dangerous Drug Lawsuit Says Raptiva Caused Serious Infections

By Altman & Altman

Gerald Sylvia is suing Xoma LLC and Genentech, Inc. for Massachusetts personal injury. In his dangerous drug lawsuit, he claims that the drug Raptiva caused him to develop acute retinal necrosis and meningitis. He is now legally blind.

Genentech recalled Raptiva in 2009 after the drug, used to treat psoriasis, was linked to three suspected cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a deadly brain infection that can turn fatal. In addition to attacking the central nervous system, PML can cause paralysis, speech impairment, vision loss, weakness, cognitive deterioration, and death.

Raptiva, a subcutaneous injection, increased the risks of life-threatening infections, lymphoma, neurological complications, malignancy, and death. Sylvia claims that the drug manufacturers knew about the health risks posed by the drug yet failed to warn physicians or patients. He says that the defendants allowed the defective drug to remain in the market when they knew there were safer options.

Unfortunately, each year, thousands of Americans are killed because of adverse side effects from taking prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. In some cases, a defective drug is allowed to remain in the marketplace even after the medication has caused serious side effects in users. Failure to warn of possible side effects has resulted in health complications that could otherwise have been prevented.

It is a drug maker?s responsibility to make sure that their medications don?t cause catastrophic injuries or serious health issues. When a drug manufacturer fails in this duty, the victim or his/her family may have grounds for a Boston dangerous drug lawsuit.

Sylvia et al v. Genentech, Inc. et al, Justia Dockets & Filings

Raptiva is withdrawn from the US market, UPI.com, April 9, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Raptiva, National Institutes of Health

Genentech

Other Dangerous Drug Blog Posts:
Boston Dangerous Drug: Taking Darvocet or Darvon Can Cause Heart Problems, Boston Injury Lawyer, January 28, 2011

Boston, Massachusetts Personal Injury: Are Dietary Supplements Dangerous Drugs?, Boston Injury Lawyer, August 4, 2010

Pfizer Settles for $400,000 the Massachusetts Dangerous Drug Lawsuit Filed by Family of Neurontin User who Committed Suicide, Boston Injury Lawyer, April 5, 2010

Full post as published by Boston Injury Lawyer Blog on February 08, 2011 (boomark / email).