› $150,000,000 verdict in personal injury case
You can’t turn on the TV these days without hearing that the heartburn medication Reglan, also known by the generic name metoclopramide, has been linked to the serious involuntary movement disorder, Tardive Dyskinesia. But the drug also carries another serious warning – it can cause depression and suicidal thoughts.
An Atlanta woman is suing Pliva, Inc., makers of the prescription heartburn medication metoclopramide, alleging that the drug company failed to adequately warn physicians of the long-term risks involved with taking metoclopramide. Susan Swicegood says metoclopramide caused her to suffer from a debilitating neurological disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia, which involves involuntary muscular movements. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court, Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, and will be heard by a jury next week.
Tranzyme Pharama says its new treatment for diabetic gastroparesis, a disabling disorder in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents, has shown positive results in phase II clinical trials among diabetic patients with the digestive disorder. The pharmaceutical company was granted “fast-track status” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for TZP-102, a designation that is typically reserved for drugs that treat serious and unmet medical needs. The designation is designed to speed up the review and approval process.
Lindsey C. Whitener was seven weeks pregnant with her second child when her physician prescribed Reglan (metoclopramide) to ease her nausea and vomiting from morning sickness. She took it for four weeks. A few months later, Whitener began having problems with her pregnancy and gave birth to her son prematurely at 36 weeks gestation. Her son, Lucas, was born with extensive physical disabilities and medical problems and spent the first six months of his life in the hospital. Doctors said they did not know the cause of Lucas’ birth defects.
A Louisiana man is suing the manufacturer of the acid reflux medication Reglan (metoclopramide) alleging the medication caused him to develop a debilitating nervous system disorder known as tardive dyskinesia. Isreal Bennett of Jefferson Parish filed the suit against Qualitest Pharmaceuticals on June 11, 2010, in federal court in New Orleans.
A team of researchers in India hope a new tool for identifying acid reflux disease will lead to improved treatments for the more than 15 million Americans who suffer from the bothersome symptoms. The tool is a molecular imaging device that allows researchers to study the differences between a healthy esophageal muscle and an unhealthy one.
Severe acid reflux or heartburn can be painful and bothersome with symptoms that range from chest pain or a burning esophagus to hoarseness and sore throat. There are several methods to treat the condition such as manipulating the stomach acid secretion by neutralizing the acid, blocking the Histamine2 to stop acid production, or blocking the gastric proton pump. While the host of over-the-counter and prescription drugs to treat acid reflux can bring temporary relief, long-term use of acid reflux drugs can lead to some alarming adverse reactions.
A popular medication for gastrointestinal conditions such as severe heartburn, acid reflux and gastroparesis may not only be ineffective in treating the conditions for which it is prescribed, it can also be dangerous to users of the drug. Reglan (metoclopramide), was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1979 as a short term treatment for a symphony of gastric disorders. Studies published in medical journals over the years show that the drug provides moderate relief of symptoms at best. What it also does is put users of the medication at an elevated risk of developing a serious involuntary movement disorder called Tardive Dyskinesia.
When 57-year-old August Macaluso, a former nuclear-plant maintenance worker in Charlotte, N.C., began shaking violently, blinking incessantly and slurring his speech, he and his wife Sharon were both puzzled. Desperate for answers, Sharon Googled his symptoms and learned that the drug her husband had been taking for just three months was linked to the involuntary movement disorder Tardive Dyskinesia with frighteningly similar symptoms. He stopped taking the drug and after a battery of medical tests, doctors confirmed the Macalusoes’ worst fears. August had suffered permanent damage.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, affects as many as 40 percent of the population. The nagging symptoms of frequent heartburn, upset stomach and an acid taste in the back of the throat can help identify the condition. But some less common symptoms can make the diagnosis more difficult to pinpoint.
