› $150,000,000 verdict in personal injury case
A new medication may soon be available for patients who suffer from advanced gastroparesis, or delayed emptying of the stomach contents. Tranzyme Pharma is presenting data on its experimental drug ulimorelin later this month at the 2010 Joint International Meeting in Neurogastroenterology and Motility in Boston, Mass.
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.
For nine years, Valerie (not her real name) was prescribed and took Reglan (metoclopramide) to control her acid reflux. The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the 1980s to treat various digestive tract conditions such as severe heartburn and gastroparesis, or the delayed emptying of the stomach contents. As the drug became more widely prescribed, the FDA began receiving reports that the drug may cause a neurological disorder. Despite the warning signs, it took the FDA almost 30 years to investigate and act.
