Product Liability Lawyer Blog

November 7, 2015

Knee Replacement Surgery Relieves Pain, But at What Cost

According to a recent report from Tech Times, a study has found that, while a total knee replacement procedure seems to the best form of pain relief for patients suffering from severe arthritis, there may be more risks associated with the procedure than even a well-informed patient might realize.

Study writers contend while total knee replacement is generally a safe and effect treatment for severe osteoarthritis, some of the safety data being used by the medical community in determining the level of risk was not based upon the most sound research practices. Continue reading

November 4, 2015

Watchdog Claims FDA “lax” When Reviewing Blood Thinner Pradaxa

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

According to a recent news article from the Washington Post, a federal watch group reports the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) exercised “lax” judgment and made “questionable” decisions to be accommodating to the pharmaceutical maker Boehringer Ingelheim when reviewing its application for the anticlotting medication known as Pradaxa.

Some of the specific claims were that FDA set loose safety standards for use during the drug company’s human clinical trials for Pradaxa and also that FDA did not require manufacturer to provide a complete and appropriate warning to prospective patients about the health risks of Pradaxa. Continue reading

November 1, 2015

An Alternative to Testosterone Replacement Therapy

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

There are so many advertisements for low testosterone treatment with hormone therapy that it is almost impossible watch a football game on Sunday without hearing a soothing voice tell you how you can get rid of the normal signs of the male aging process by going to a so-called low T clinic.

You may be wondering why they are telling all men in and around their middle ages to get to one of these low T clinics instead of making an appointment with their primary care physician. There is a very good reason. The medical community is not convinced that testosterone therapy does anything for the majority of men who are taking the hormone. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved testosterone therapy in the early 1970s to treat a medical condition known as hypogonadism. This is a very rare disease that involves an extremely low production of testosterone. Continue reading

October 25, 2015

FDA Approves Antidote for Pradaxa

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Pradaxa, like Xarelto and Eliquis have taken the blood thinner/anticoagulant market by storm in recent years as an alternative to the tried and true blood thinner Warfarin (Coumadin). These drugs were designed to treat patients with an irregular heartbeat condition known as atrial fibrillation (Afib).

Afib patients are at a high risk of developing large blood clots, which can form within the veins deep within the legs. This is a serious and potentially deadly medical condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The clots can break free from the veins in which they formed and travel through the circulatory system to the lungs where they can cause a hole known as a pulmonary embolism (PE). They clots can also block blood flow to the brain resulting in a stroke. Continue reading

October 20, 2015

71 Year Old Man Skies Following Knee Replacement

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

There is not question that people are living longer these days than ever before. However, not only are people living longer, they are able to live more active lifestyles that they could in years past. One of the reasons for this is because of operations like total knee replacements and total hip replacements.

According to a recent news article from Fox, a 71-year-old man is back on the slopes following a total hip replacement surgery. He was retired and loved to ski. He would be out on the slopes every chance he could get. However, after many years of kayaking, skydiving, and running, has cause serious arthritis in his joints and this joint disease caused him a tremendous amount of pain and suffering as a result of his knee condition. Continue reading

October 18, 2015

Kids Applesauce Maker Recalls Product over Mold Risk

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

When we give our children food, we try to make sure they are eating healthy and well-balanced meals. This is especially important as childhood obesity is becoming an increasing problem and kids are spending more and more time watching television and playing videogames, than playing outside and getting exercise.

According to a recent news article from ABC, the maker of GoGo squeeZ has issued a voluntary recall of its kids applesauce packets and other snack products they manufacture after mold was discovered. Continue reading

October 17, 2015

Hip Surgery for Psoriatic Arthritis Patients

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A recent article from Medscape Multispecialty discusses how new studies show patients who suffer from psoriatic arthritis (PsA) or cutaneous psoriasis (PsC) do not have increased risk factors following total hip replacement, as compared to patients who suffer from osteoarthritis (OA).

Essentially, osteoarthritis is the far more common form of hip arthritis for patients who undergo a total hip replacement operation. This operation is also known as a hip arthroscopy, which is the medical term for a complete joint reconstruction or replacement. Continue reading

October 15, 2015

Risks Associated with Double Knee Replacement Surgery

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Recently, double knee replacement procedure has been an increasingly common procedure in hospitals throughout the United States. According to a recent article from Wall Street Journal, many people who suffer from osteoarthritis tend to put up with the condition until it gets to a point were it is unbearable and eventually decided to get a total knee replacement.

In the typical case, both knees are stricken with osteoarthritis to the point where they both need to be replaced. This normally involved having the more painful knee replaced, and then going back later for a second operation. A double knee replacement surgery, or bilateral knee replacement, as it is technically called, offers a quicker and more cost effective alternative to having successive traditional knee replacement, but this procedure, while new, has already managed to attract a good deal of controversy. The reason for the controversy is because some evidence suggests the risks may outweigh the potential benefits. Those who perform the surgery say one of the main benefits is that it does away with the need for a second hospital stay. This reduces the amount of time spent under general anesthesia, which is always a risk, and it also reduces the risk of developing an infection following surgery. No matter how clean a hospital may be, post surgical infection is always a risk. Another one of the claimed benefits is that it reduces the need for a second complete recovery period. Recovery is a painful and emotionally difficult time for many patients, and not having to do it twice is a benefit. Continue reading

October 13, 2015

Xarelto, Pradaxa, and Eliquis Working to Edge Warfarin out of Market

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Xarelto, Pradaxa, and Eliquis are three of four New Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) that are all fighting with each other and the makers of Warfarin (Coumadin) to become the market leader for medications used for the prevention of serious blood clotting disorders in patients who suffer from a medical condition known as atrial fibrillation (Afib). Afib patients have an irregular heartbeat that can cause large blood clots to form deep within the veins of the legs. These clots can break free of the veins in which they form and travel through the circulatory system to the lungs, where they can cause a deadly tear known as a pulmonary embolism (PE).

As described in a recent industry feature from FiercePharma, in order to prevent these clots from forming, doctors will typically prescribe an oral medication. For many years the gold standard was Warfarin (Coumadin), and this medicine is actually a blood thinner. While it is every effective in treating Afib patients, it is not the most convenient for patients, and there are some risks. If the dose of medication is off, the patient may suffer a serious internal bleeding condition. However, the patient can monitor his or her diet closely, as certain foods affect the rate of Coumadin absorption, and he or she can have regular blood tests to make sure the dosage is correct. Continue reading

October 10, 2015

Risks Involved in Testosterone Replacement Therapy

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A recent article in the Herald-Review features a question and answer series between readers and a doctor who works with the media outlet. The main question asked in the latest issue involved the risks of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). The reader who asks the question is a 62-year-old man who is currently receiving testosterone replacement injections on a weekly basis.

The man said he has blood tests performed more than twice a year and, each time, all of his blood work comes back normal. He said he has no noticeable side effects from the testosterone hormone injections, but his temper is much shorter than it has ever been before. He said his doctor told him he is on Arimidex to lower his estrogen levels, and that testosterone injections are not harmful to him in terms of dangerous side effects. This reader said he wants another opinion, because he is fearful that TRT may cause a stroke. Continue reading