Ketek Found to Cause Liver Damage, Liver Failure and Death

Congressional Hearing Investigates Allegations of Fraud In Ketek Clinical Studies – On February 12, 2008 the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the United States House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing to investigate allegations of fraud against Sanofi-Aventis. Click here to read about the hearing.

Introduction: If you or a loved one had injuries consisting of liver damage sustained as a result of the antibiotic Ketek prescribed for respiratory infections, you may have a lawsuit that should be pursued. Although our Ketek lawyers are located in Maryland (MD), Virginia (VA) and Washington, D.C. (DC), our drug litigation is national in scope, and our Ketek lawyers are prepared to file lawsuits and litigate Ketek cases around the country. Therefore, regardless of what state you’re from, please email us so that Ashcraft & Gerel, LLP can have a Ketek lawyer contact you to discuss your claim and the potential of a lawsuit.

Ketek (Telithromycin) is an antibiotic used to treat certain respiratory (lung and sinus) infections, including bronchitis and pneumonia. These conditions include acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, acute bacterial sinusitis, and community acquired pneumonia of mild to moderate severity, including pneumonia caused by resistant strep infections. Manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis, Ketek was first approved in April 2004 by the the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). However, on January 20, 2006, researchers reported three cases of severe liver problems associated with Ketek, including one death, in patients at a North Carolina Hospital. The fact that three cases were reported in one hospital was cause for great concern. The FDA issued a public health advisory as a result of the reporting of these cases. All three of the patients prompting the FDA’s advisory developed jaundice and abnormal liver function. One patient recovered, one required a transplant, and one died. As of July, 2006 there have been 4 deaths and one liver transplant associated with Ketek, although the FDA acknowledged that the true incidence of injuries may be higher. The FDA stated that “it is difficult to determine the exact frequency of Ketek associated adverse events on the basis of FDA’s mandatory and voluntary reporting systems.”  The FDA and the U.S. Congress early in 2006 began an investigation into the approval, use, and potentially lethal side-effects of this drug, and on June 29, 2006 announced that additional warnings would be required to be placed on the manufacturer’s labeling of the product.

The signs and symptoms of liver failure include fatigue, malaise, loss of appetite, nausea, yellow skin and dark colored urine. If you or a loved one have ingested Ketek, and have experienced jaundice (yellowing of the skin and/or eyes), blurry vision, loss of appetite, dark urine, pale stools, and/or itching or abdominal pain, see a doctor immediately. These may all be signs of serious liver damage potentially related to Ketek, including drug-induced hepatitis and liver failure.

If a visit to your healthcare provider is warranted, you also owe it to yourself to speak to an experienced pharmaceutical attorney to see if you have a case and to discuss the possibility of bringing a lawsuit to recover for your damages and injuries. The attorney will be able to ascertain if you have a claim for which a lawsuit can be pursued and whether the case and lawsuit can be brought to a successful settlement, verdict, award or other recovery. The experienced lawyer will also be able to advise you on any deadlines for bringing your legal claim for damages. Please contact the law firm of Ashcraft and Gerel, LLP to discuss your lawsuit with an experienced drug or pharmaceutical lawyer in our Drug Litigation Department.

The lawyers at Ashcraft and Gerel, LLP have been leaders in pursuing lawsuits involving unsafe drugs, implants, and infusions. Our attorneys have successfully brought about verdicts, settlements, awards or other recoveries in lawsuits on behalf of clients who have been injured by Fen-Phen, Rezulin, Propulsid, Phenylpropanolamine (PPA), Baycol, breast implants and AIDS tainted blood. Although some of these lawsuits resulted in class action settlements, class actions are not the only way these cases are handled. The courts have devised methods to deal with mass torts so that each lawsuit can benefit from information and evidence gathered in other lawsuits nationwide and yet be handled on an individual basis.

We have a toll free number to reach an attorney to answer your questions with regard to your specific case. That number is 1-800-829-7037. Please ask to speak to Robert Samet, and he will place you in touch with one of our drug litigation lawyers. If you would prefer, please feel free to email us. Please be sure to include your name, address, telephone number (if you wish to be called), email address and the exact nature of your question, so that our lawyer can provide you with the specific information you seek.