On Friday, the FDA announced that the maker of Darvon (and the similar drug, Darvocet) has voluntarily stopped all marketing of the drugs in the United States. Both drugs have been accused of causing deadly side-effects for decades. The reason for the current recall: A cardiac study conducted by the manufacturer at the FDA’s bequest showed that Darvon caused irregular heart rhythms. In other words, the doses of Darvon and Darvocet normally prescribed by doctors and taken by patients is harmful to the heart. Couple this with the unacceptable propensity of patients to abuse the drug (i.e., taking more than the prescribed amount) and the risk of heart damage is simply too great to keep the drug on the market.
This recall follows bans in England and the European Union based on a different reason: The long-held belief that the use of Darvon and Darvocet lead to unacceptable risks of suicides and overdoses. Many safety advocates in the U.S. have been calling for the ban of these drugs since at least 1978, but the FDA has refused until now.
As an Atlanta prescription error lawyer, I believe that the recall of these dangerous drugs was long overdue. In the meantime, I would advise anyone who has been prescribed these drugs and suffered heart problems to contact our office to help determine if the heart problems are related to these drugs. Simply because a drug is prescribed by a medical doctor and dispensed by a pharmacy, does not ensure that the drug is safe. We have seen this time and time again with other drugs that were widely used in the United States and then subsequently banned by the FDA. A partial list of these drugs along with the side effect that warranted the recall is: Accutane (birth defects), Baycol (rhabdomyolysis), Bextra (heart problems), Cylert (liver problems), DBI (lactic acidosis), DES (cancer), Duract (accident deaths and liver problems), Ergamisol (blood complications), Hismanal (heart problems), Lotronex (colitis), Meridia (increased cardiovascular problems and stroke), Merital and Alival (anemia), Micturin (cardiotoxicity), Mylotarg (increased risk of death), Omniflox (death, low blood sugar, anemia, Palladone (breathing problems), Permax (heart valve complications), Pondimin (heart valve disease), Posicor (fatalities related to interactions with other drugs), Propulsid (cardiac problems), PTZ and Metrazol (seizures), Quaalude (seizures), Raplon (bronchial spasms), Raptiva (brain damage), Raxar (cardiac repolarization), Redux A/K/A Fen-Phen (heart valve issues), Rezulin (liver failure), Selacryn (hepatitis), Seldane (heart problems when combined with other drugs), Trasylol (kidney damage), Vioxx (heart attack), Xigris, Zelmid (Guillain-Barre syndrome and higher risk of suicide), Zelnorm (heart attack and stroke).
Attorney Robert J. Fleming has been handling prescription error, wrongful death cases, automobile accident cases, personal injury cases, dental malpractice and medical malpractice lawsuits for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years in and around Atlanta, Georgia and its surrounding areas, including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously injured and would like quality legal representation, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.