Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate) is an oral blood thinner that was approved by the US FDA in October 2010.  Pradaxa is in the class of anticoagulant (anti-clotting) blood thinners called “direct thrombin inhibitors”. The drug is used to prevent serious blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation.  Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition in which the upper chambers of the heart (atria) fail to contract fully causing potential stagnant blood and clot formation.

Patients with atrial fibrillation are often candidates for long term anticoagulation.  Prior to the release of Pradaxa these patients were either treated with oral Coumadin, low molecular weight heparin, or less effective antiplatelet agents such as aspirin.

Recently, studies have shown that patients on Pradaxa have a 33% higher risk of heart attack when compared to previously prescribed medications.  The FDA is currently investigating an unusually high number of reports of serious bleeding linked to Pradaxa’s use.

 Recently, The New York Times cited a study that observed the outcomes of hip replacement surgeries over a five year period. It found that none of the modern, all-metal hip implants outlasted older versions and 30% were worse and caused more complications by comparison.  The metal-on-metal ASR XL Acetabular hip replacement, manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics, is believed to have a design flaw.  This flaw has caused many patients to require hip revision surgery shortly after the placement of the implant. 

Type 2 diabetes has been an ongoing concern in many Native American communities. The U.S. department of health and human services reports that Native Americans are over 2 times more likely than non-hispanic whites to have diabetes, with some estimates putting the risk even higher.  Additionally, 95% of Native Americans with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.

Due to this large rate and increase of type 2 diabetes among Native Americans, many were likely prescribed the prescription drug Actos to treat the disease. Actos has recently been linked to Bladder Cancer. It has been associated with up to a 40% increased risk of developing bladder cancer in patients who have been on it for more than one year. Increased awareness of the Actos- Bladder cancer link is very important.

What is also very concerning is that the Journal of American Medicine and the FDA are both warning that taking Actos for more than one year can carry a much higher risk of developing Bladder Cancer. On June 15, 2011, the FDA issued an “urgent health warning” after a review of studies showing up the increased risk of developing Bladder Cancer after a patient had been on Actos for more than a year. The FDA has not yet taken the additional step of pulling the product from the market and it is still available for purchase. However, the medication is subject to further review and is being closely monitored by the FDA.

Actos is a prescription medication used to treat type 2 diabetes. In recent years it has become more popular because its competitor, Avandia, was taken off the market due to an increased risk of heart failure. Now, serious questions are being raised about the side effects of Actos as well.

Several studies have found that Actos also causes an increased risk of both bone fractures and heart attacks. What is also very concerning is that the Journal of American Medicine and the FDA are both warning that taking Actos for more than one year can carry a much higher risk of developing Bladder Cancer. This has prompted Germany and France to pull the drug from the market while further testing is performed. On June 15, 2011, the FDA issued an “urgent health warning” after a review of studies showing up to a 40% increased risk of developing Bladder Cancer after a patient had been on Actos for more than a year. The FDA has not yet taken the additional step of pulling the product from the market and it is still available for purchase. However, the medication is subject to further review and is being closely monitored by the FDA.

Recently, several insurance companies surprised investors when they announced increased reserve amounts for asbestos claims (http://seekingalpha.com/article/283496-insurance-is-buffett-right-about-asbestos-liability) . Other insurance companies had decreased profits because of asbestos costs (http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110803-720026.html) . Insurance giant, AIG, took a staggering $1.3 Billion in reserves for asbestos due to an industry wide trend towards expanding coverage theory for liability. This is also because there has been a higher frequency of mesothelioma claims in the past year and many have also been more severe cases. Insurance companies have had significant exposure to personal injury claims arising from asbestos and it looks as if asbestos claims will continue to increase. Asbestos takes years to manifest itself and for the effects of the exposure to appear. Many baby boomers are first realizing that they may have been exposed to asbestos and could develop a dangerous asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma. There are likely to be many more cases in the future from asbestos exposure that occurred during the Vietnam era and involving veterans of Vietnam.  

While some asbestos manufactures have filed bankruptcy, many are still fully viable financially. The claims made to the manufacturers who are now bankrupt are handled by the bankruptcy trustees.  Victims of asbestos are able to bring lawsuits because they have suffered because of a product whose dangers were initially concealed by manufacturers. The asbestos manufacturers knew that this product would have devastating effects but made no warnings to consumers or purchasers. The courts have recognized their liability, making it possible for victims to recover compensation for their injuries, pain and suffering. These recent developments show that there are potentially many more victims of asbestos and mesothelioma who can file a lawsuit.

Bladder cancer is a form of cancer that usually begins when cells that line the bladder develop tumorous growths. It is a common cancer, although there is little awareness of it, with close to 70,000 diagnoses and 15,000 deaths expected from it this year alone ⁽¹⁾. Men are much more likely to develop the disease than women are.   The cancerous cells begin to grow rapidly and spread to other parts of the bladder, forming a region of abnormal tumorous cells. These abnormal cells do not expand normally but instead expand rapidly and at much greater speed than normal cells.  These tumors can overtake healthy cells because they block oxygen and inhibit their ability to receive the nutrients and material they need.

Bladder cancer cells can undergo Metastatis, meaning that the cancer spreads to other parts of the body than where it originated. In this case, bladder cancer often transfers from the bladder to the lymph nodes and kidneys before spreading to the blood stream where other vital organs, like the heart and lungs, are likely to be affected.       

New studies are finding that the diabetes drug Actos increases the risk of bladder cancer, specifically in those who have used it for more than a year.  A similar drug, Avandia, has

already been removed from the market after being linked to an increased risk of heart attacks. In fact, Actos and Avandia are the only two drugs in the class called thiazolidinediones, and work in very similar ways.  Actos has already been removed from the market in Germany and France for these same concerns.

A growing number of Americans today are facing the problem of type 2 diabetes. There are many ways to handle it, including diet, exercise, and prescription medication. Unfortunately, many times these medications are not very well researched, and can have grave adverse effects on an already ailing body. One such medication is Avandia. Avandia was marketed to help control type 2 diabetes, along with a diet and exercise program, and often in conjunction with other medications. However, Avandia can cause fluid retention in the body, which can lead to congestive heart failure (a heart attack).

 If heart problems already exist, Avandia can make them worse. Furthermore, this risk is even higher if a patient is taking insulin along with Avandia, which is very common in type 2 diabetes patients. If you or a loved one has been prescribed this medication and have experienced these side effects, you may be entitled to compensation from the drug companies that put out this dangerous product. If you or someone you know are currently using Avandia, and experience any symptoms that could be related to congestive heart failure, contact a doctor and seek medical treatment immediately. It is important that you seek the best medical and legal help available.

Workers' Compensation

If you or a loved one has ever gotten hurt on the job or has become disabled due to work related injury that occurred on the work site, you are entitled to collect compensation. Workers compensation is a form of insurance that provides wage replacement and medical benefits for employees.

This compensation is given from the company in exchange for the employee's right to sue his or her employer for negligence. Workers Compensation includes disability insurance, compensation for economic loss, reimbursement or payment of medical expenses. Employers are held liable for their employee's injury and must be responsible for paying these benefits.
The New York State Compensation Board states that all employers must provide workers' compensation coverage for their employees. Employers pay for this insurance, and do not require the employee to contribute to the cost of compensation. The Workers' Compensation Board will determine the reimbursements for cash benefits and/or medical care, and the amounts payable.

According to the compensation board, no one party is determined to be at fault in a workers compensation case. The amount that a claimant receives is not decreased by his/her carelessness, nor increased by an employer's fault. Some exceptions include, if the injury results solely from his or her intoxication from drugs or alcohol, or from the intent to injure him/herself or someone else. In some cases, injury prevents employees from earning the same wages they once did. They are now entitled to a benefit that will make up two-thirds of the difference.

The claim process begins with the victim seeking medical attention for their injuries. After obtaining the necessary medical treatment, the employee must notify the employer of their injury. The employee files a claim with the Board on Form Employee Claim (C-3) form. This must be done within two years of the accident, or within two years after the employee knew or should have known, that the injury was related to employment.
If you or a loved one has suffered due a work related injury, contact Rudolph F.X. Migliore, P.C.