Lawsuits on drug companies

As far as I understand, doctors are not aware of the severity of these medicines and the companies that are creating these poisons are churning them out by the dozens to make money. I'm wondering - has anybody tried filing a lawsuit against them? For insufficient information on the harm these drugs cause. I'm sure many people have died from it, but even if the loss is only monetary, or the suffering . . . oooh, the amount of suffering and the years of quality life it steals . . .

Anybody heard of a lawsuit or planning to file one?

Even if just to get awareness out there. And to punish the companies who are doing this.

I did a little search on here, belatedly, and I see this topic has been mentioned a while back, before I even knew I was ill from benzos. Can anybody update me on the latest re this topic?

Nony

It's very difficult to sue for this. Most lawyers won't even take on the case. Remember this is a self congratulations doctors club and nobody but a very couple will testify. Pharma will say it's on the packaging. They will also blame it on other drugs your might have taken in the past, legal or illegal and believe me they can find out just like the NSA. They also might accuse you of having a mental problem and if you've ever been in a psych ward that will prove their case. The FDA is now headed by a Dr. who has financial ties to big pharma so that administration will be of no help and they also might be found culpable. Plus Trump is big fan of pharma and judges know this. There is a class action lawsuit against Lilly for Cymbalta and they have a lot of ammunition. I wonder how that one is going? From what I have read it seems to be going very well for the defendants. But in the end nobody wins but the lawyers.

What is Lilly/Cymbalta? What is that case?

And really, where on the package does it say that I will be sick for years and years from this thing?

I don't care if the lawyers make money; the point is these companies should begin to take responsibility.

Whatever happened to that big case in the UK?

What is Lilly/Cymbalta? What is that case?

And really, where on the package does it say that I will be sick for years and years from this thing?

I don't care if the lawyers make money; the point is these companies should begin to take responsibility.

Whatever happened to that big case in the UK?

 

 

  bunch of people sued Lilly a while ago after they tapered off that drug very slowly and after many months they are still suffering from bad w/d. Nothing on the packaging. But on the benzo packages is a black box (the next step is removal of the drug) warning that says you may suffer from w/d after taking it for more than three weeks. Consult your doctor. Don't know what happened to that case in the UK, you may want to ask some ppl from there like Gilly. I know the Lord of Sandwich won his case. That was big news for a while.

What is Lilly/Cymbalta? What is that case?

And really, where on the package does it say that I will be sick for years and years from this thing?

I don't care if the lawyers make money; the point is these companies should begin to take responsibility.

Whatever happened to that big case in the UK?

 

Well, it doesn't say that, but it does say this:

"

WARNINGS

 

 

Dependence and Withdrawal Reactions, Including Seizures

 

 

Certain adverse clinical events, some life-threatening, are a direct consequence of physical

dependence to XANAX. These include a spectrum of withdrawal symptoms; the most

important is seizure (see DRUG ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE). Even after relatively short-

term use at the doses recommended for the treatment of transient anxiety and anxiety disorder

(ie, 0.75 to 4.0 mg per day), there is some risk of dependence. Spontaneous reporting system

data suggest that the risk of dependence and its severity appear to be greater in patients treated

with doses greater than 4 mg/day and for long periods (more than 12 weeks). However, in a

controlled postmarketing discontinuation study of panic disorder patients, the duration of

treatment (3 months compared to 6 months) had no effect on the ability of patients to taper to

zero dose. In contrast, patients treated with doses of XANAX greater than 4 mg/day had more

difficulty tapering to zero dose than those treated with less than 4 mg/day.

 

Withdrawal reactions may occur when dosage reduction occurs for any reason. This includes

purposeful tapering, but also inadvertent reduction of dose (eg, the patient forgets, the patient

is admitted to a hospital). Therefore, the dosage of XANAX should be reduced or

discontinued gradually" 

 

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/018276s045lbl.pdf

 

And remember, pharma cos manufacture and distribute, but doctors prescribe them

Well, I was on waaay less than 4 mg. And I went off as per my doctor's instructions - even slower than that, actually - a week's time. But of course, that was way too fast.

I don't believe that is sufficient warning. It doesn't say I will be sick from this for years after getting off.

Thanks for posting the details, though.

Is it the same for Alprazolam?

Plus Trump is big fan of pharma and judges know this.

 

Not true-

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-vaccines-autism-wrong-2017-1

 

http://www.npr.org/2017/01/10/509185540/despite-the-facts-trump-once-again-embraces-vaccine-skeptics

 

What is Lilly/Cymbalta? What is that case?

And really, where on the package does it say that I will be sick for years and years from this thing?

I don't care if the lawyers make money; the point is these companies should begin to take responsibility.

Whatever happened to that big case in the UK?

 

 

  bunch of people sued Lilly a while ago after they tapered off that drug very slowly and after many months they are still suffering from bad w/d. Nothing on the packaging. But on the benzo packages is a black box (the next step is removal of the drug) warning that says you may suffer from w/d after taking it for more than three weeks. Consult your doctor. Don't know what happened to that case in the UK, you may want to ask some ppl from there like Gilly. I know the Lord of Sandwich won his case. That was big news for a while.

 

What about those of us who were C/T from these drugs by a doctor? This is what happened to me. It was during an Inpatient account when I was abruptly taken off of Ambien and Ativan.

 

After around a week(?) of absolute torture, I left the facility AMA (Against Medical Advice). I was 86 miles from my home.

 

Since I was going against their medical judgment, I ended up having to figure out on my own, how I was going to safely get home.

 

I was fortunate enough to have acquainted myself with two patients whom I was able to hitch rides with. The patient who dropped me off at my home, had also left that facially AMA!

 

This entire event was beyond believable…I still have trouble accepting what happened to me….first being ripped off two potent drugs and then being told to find your own way home after being C/T!!

 

When I saw my prescribing doctor, they did not allow me to go back on either of these drugs. Fortunately, a doctor outside the VA system was willing to work with me to taper from these drugs in a humane way.

 

This is so sad, seeing so many people needlessly suffer due to a system that is seriously failing on several levels.

Well, I was on waaay less than 4 mg. And I went off as per my doctor's instructions - even slower than that, actually - a week's time. But of course, that was way too fast.

I don't believe that is sufficient warning. It doesn't say I will be sick from this for years after getting off.

Thanks for posting the details, though.

Is it the same for Alprazolam?

 

Alprozalam IS Xanax.

The warning is insufficient at best. I personally think benzos have their place but in a clinical setting. No one should ever be given these drugs to take home pr n. It's ridiculous.

What is Lilly/Cymbalta? What is that case?

And really, where on the package does it say that I will be sick for years and years from this thing?

I don't care if the lawyers make money; the point is these companies should begin to take responsibility.

Whatever happened to that big case in the UK?

 

Not sure which big case you mean.  There was an attempted class action in the 1990s which was thrown out by the judge and thereafter class actions were made illegal in the UK so that was that.  Luke Montagu achieved a high settlement, over £1 million, suing his prescribing doctors.  He was in the press again yesterday .. the size of the settlement was related to his high earning potential, I believe, rather than the degree of damage.  It is a little easier to sue prescribing doctors than it is to sue drug companies.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4173468/My-GP-gave-antidepressants-didn-t-need-20-years.html

 

There is a Facebook group called Benzodiazepine Awareness and Legal Action and they are more up to speed with all this so if you wanted to go there ...

 

Hope that is of some help.

 

Fiona 

benzogirl,

 

'Remember this is a self congratulations doctors club and nobody but a very couple will testify.'

 

I take it you are basically saying that doctors won't testify against other doctors, or even criticize them ?

 

I'm familiar with the 'wall of silence'. But really, it should be common knowledge and it is more or less proven that benzodiazepines are anything but safe.

About packaging inserts: the local PI sheet for clonazepam blames the patients for 'addictive tendencies'.

 

It is certainly not on the packaging how horrible the effects can be !

Well, I was on waaay less than 4 mg. And I went off as per my doctor's instructions - even slower than that, actually - a week's time. But of course, that was way too fast.

I don't believe that is sufficient warning. It doesn't say I will be sick from this for years after getting off.

Thanks for posting the details, though.

Is it the same for Alprazolam?

 

Alprozalam IS Xanax.

Yes, I know that. Was wondering if there's a difference between the brand and the generic re package warnings.

What is Lilly/Cymbalta? What is that case?

And really, where on the package does it say that I will be sick for years and years from this thing?

I don't care if the lawyers make money; the point is these companies should begin to take responsibility.

Whatever happened to that big case in the UK?

 

Not sure which big case you mean.  There was an attempted class action in the 1990s which was thrown out by the judge and thereafter class actions were made illegal in the UK so that was that.  Luke Montagu achieved a high settlement, over £1 million, suing his prescribing doctors.  He was in the press again yesterday .. the size of the settlement was related to his high earning potential, I believe, rather than the degree of damage.  It is a little easier to sue prescribing doctors than it is to sue drug companies.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4173468/My-GP-gave-antidepressants-didn-t-need-20-years.html

 

There is a Facebook group called Benzodiazepine Awareness and Legal Action and they are more up to speed with all this so if you wanted to go there ...

 

Hope that is of some help.

 

Fiona 

Can you give me more info about that facebook page? thanks.

They are working towards class actions ...  it would be better if you joined ... I don't keep up to speed with latest developments.

 

Fiona 

Yes, but I'm not familiar with facebook. Where do I go? What's it called?

Ok.  You can search for people or groups ...

 

Just type in Benzodiazepine Awareness and Legal Action

 

This is the link minus the bit about PRIVACY CONCERNS.

 

https://m.facebook.com/groups/804294912959118?ref=bookmarks

 

Fiona 

thank you.

No problem.

In the USA, how relevant is a NEED to prove that you were actually damaged by the drug/treatment by the doctor ?

 

I mean, they could say it's something else ?

In the USA, how relevant is a NEED to prove that you were actually damaged by the drug/treatment by the doctor ?

 

I mean, they could say it's something else ?

 

I have to agree. I thought about it and short of Erin Brockovich I don't think any lawyer would take a case against big pharm unless you pay them big bucks. These companies have huge teams of top notch lawyers to cover their a##. I thought about how could you prove it if you take any other medications. How can you prove it was just not your original illness. They would dig up your life an attribute it to everything and anything. I had a drinking problem and I'm sure they would label me an addict the first day and throw out the case. Even though my drinking problem started because of inter-dose withdrawal and I know it, I was self medicating because of a faulty drug but they don't care. They might dig up my family history and how my mother had addictions her whole life. It's just such a weak case to prove. We all know the reality of it and how we were lied to. I have zero black box on my Klonopin. It wouldn't matter.

It sounds like it's hopeless to start a case, then.

I don't think until the becomes more public awareness, kinda like cigarettes. It will happen just like the pain killers are just being noticed for being overprescribed. Sad thing is when media awareness is made Dr.s start pulling people quickly off the drugs. It's happening in one state and it's responsible for the surge in heroine overdoses laced with phentynol

Plus Trump is big fan of pharma and judges know this.

 

Not true-

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-vaccines-autism-wrong-2017-1

 

http://www.npr.org/2017/01/10/509185540/despite-the-facts-trump-once-again-embraces-vaccine-skeptics

 

OK I'm wrong.  I think it was Clinton instead..............