Facts About Drug Litigation

People take prescription drugs to feel better. But often, hidden side effects may not show up for years. And when they do, the FDA works with manufacturers to carry out a recall. Sometimes this process can take a long while, leaving the dangerous prescription drugs on the market and in the hands of consumers. These unsafe prescription drugs may cause heart attacks and even debilitating strokes.

Have you taken a recalled prescription drug? Find a Drug Litigation Attorney near you who can explain your rights.

In typical cases, prescription drug recalls are voluntarily handled by the drug manufacturers. When companies realize their products are defective or dangerous, they issue recalls on their own. If the FDA gets involved, it can request a recall, which companies usually follow. This is the fastest way to remove a harmful drug from the market.

On occasion, the process isn't so smooth. Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the FDA has the power to take the manufacturer to court and force it to comply.

The "FD&C" Act lets the FDA sue to:

• Request a formal recall
• Confiscate the product
• Request an injunction to stop the manufacturer from making more of the product

Once the FDA requests a prescription drug recall, companies are responsible for prescription drug recalls and making sure the recalls are successful. Companies are also required to tell the FDA when the prescription drug recall is started and to make progress reports. When the recall is completed, the FDA oversees the destruction of the dangerous prescription drug.

The FDA then begins an investigation to see why the prescription drug recall was necessary and to find out what made the prescription drug risky.

Prescription Drug recalls are classified into three types:

• Class I: Recalls for unsafe or defective products that cause serious health problems or death.
• Class II: Recalls for products that might cause a temporary health problem and have a low risk of creating a serious problem.
• Class III: Recalls for products that violate FDA labeling or manufacturing regulations. Examples include a container defect, wrong color, or odd taste.

Prescription Drug Recall Hot Topics:

• Vioxx
• Bextra
• Accutane
• Arcoxia
• Celebrex
• Recalled drug litigation
• Lipitor
• Meridia
• Mobic
• Merck & Co., Inc.
• Pfizer, Inc.

Contact one of our Drug Litigation Lawyers now to receive a professional consultation.