In 2007, Alli was approved for OTC use for weight loss in overweight adults. Between 1999 and October 2008, 32 reports of serious liver injury, including 6 cases of liver failure, in patients using orlistat were submitted to the FDA. In August 2009, the FDA initiated a safety review of Alli side effects to determine if there is a direct relationship between reports of liver injury and diet drugs containing orlistat. The FDA issued an early communication on August 24, 2009, indicating that they were reviewing this new safety information, but no definite association between liver injury and Alli has been established. The FDA currently recommends that consumers continue using Alli as directed.

Alli Liver Damage and Liver Failure

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s reports included six cases of liver failure and 27 of the incidents resulted in hospitalization. The most commonly reported liver problems with Alli were a yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes known as jaundice, weakness and abdominal pain.

Alli Side Effects

Serious side effects from taking Alli for weight loss include:

• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Brown urine
• Jaundice
• Liver damage
• Liver failure

Speak to an Alli Lawyer

If you took Alli for weight loss and suffered serious liver damage, or liver failure, we encourage you to contact an Alli litigation attorney at our law firm immediately. An experienced product liability attorney can assist you in a legal action against the makers of Alli, GlaxoSmithKline, PLC. You are not alone. Join other Alli liver damage victims and their families in fighting for their legal rights.

Please fill out our free legal evaluation form on the far right and we will call or e-mail you back within 24 hours. Please keep in mind that certain states have a statute of limitations that limits the amount of time you have to file an Alli lawsuit or seek legal action. Contact our law firm immediately so we may explain the rights and options available to you and your family.

The FDA has received 32 reports of serious liver damage possibly connected to the use of orlistat-based drugs like Alli.

Accutane was originally only prescribed to patients with severe acne that did not respond to other forms of acne treatments. However, over the past 25 years Accutane has gained in popularity and is being prescribed not only more frequently, but also for less severe acne. This practice is controversial because Accutane increases a patient’s risk of developing serious side effects such as Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Accutane Symptoms: Inflammatory Bowel Disease

In medicine, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of inflammatory conditions of the colon and small intestine. The major types of IBD are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

The main difference between Crohn’s disease and UC is the location and nature of the inflammatory changes. Crohn’s can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, from mouth to anus (skip lesions), although a majority of the cases start in the terminal ileum. Ulcerative colitis, in contrast, is restricted to the colon and the rectum.

Microscopically, ulcerative colitis is restricted to the mucosa (epithelial lining of the gut), while Crohn’s disease affects the whole bowel wall.

Finally, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis present with extra-intestinal manifestations (such as liver problems, arthritis, skin manifestations and eye problems) in different proportions.

Rarely, a definitive diagnosis of neither Crohn’s disease nor ulcerative colitis can be made because of idiosyncrases in the presentation. In this case, a diagnosis of indeterminate colitis may be made. Although a recognised definition, not all centres refer to this.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms and Diagnosis

Although very different diseases, both may present with any of the following symptoms: abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, hematochezia (bright red blood in stools), weight loss and various associated complaints or diseases like arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Diagnosis is generally by colonoscopy with biopsy of pathological lesions.

Speak to an Accutane Lawyer

If you took Accutane and developed Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we encourage you to contact an Accutane litigation attorney at our law firm immediately. It may be too late to recover from the debilitating effects of Accutane, but an experienced product liability attorney can assist you in a legal action against the makers of Accutane, Roche Laboratories. You are not alone. Join other Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) victims and their families in fighting for their legal rights.

Please fill out our free legal evaluation form on the far right and we will call or e-mail you back within 24 hours. Please keep in mind that certain states have a statute of limitations that limits the amount of time you have to file an Accutane lawsuit or seek legal action. Contact our law firm immediately so we may explain the rights and options available to you and your family.

Accutane was originally only prescribed to patients with severe acne that did not respond to other forms of acne treatments. However, over the past 25 years Accutane has gained in popularity and is being prescribed not only more frequently, but also for less severe acne. This practice is controversial because Accutane increases a patient’s risk of developing serious side effects such as Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Accutane Symptoms: Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (Colitis ulcerosa, UC) is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Ulcerative colitis is a form of colitis, a disease of the intestine, specifically the large intestine or colon, that includes characteristic ulcers, or open sores, in the colon. The main symptom of active disease is usually constant diarrhea mixed with blood, of gradual onset. Because of the name, IBD is often confused with irritable bowel syndrome (“IBS”), a troublesome, but much less serious, condition. Ulcerative colitis has similarities to Crohn’s disease, another form of IBD. Ulcerative colitis is an intermittent disease, with periods of exacerbated symptoms, and periods that are relatively symptom-free. Although the symptoms of ulcerative colitis can sometimes diminish on their own, the disease usually requires treatment to go into remission.

1Ulcerative colitis occurs in 35–100 people for every 100,000 in the United States, or less than 0.1% of the population. The disease is more prevalent in northern countries of the world, as well as in northern areas of individual countries or other regions. Although ulcerative colitis has no known cause, there is a presumed genetic component to susceptibility. The disease may be triggered in a susceptible person by environmental factors. Although dietary modification may reduce the discomfort of a person with the disease, ulcerative colitis is not thought to be caused by dietary factors. Although ulcerative colitis is treated as though it were an autoimmune disease, there is no consensus that it is such. Treatment is with anti-inflammatory drugs, immunosuppression, and biological therapy targeting specific components of the immune response. Colectomy (partial or total removal of the large bowel through surgery) is occasionally necessary, and is considered to be a cure for the disease.

Speak to an Accutane Lawyer

If you took Accutane and developed Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we encourage you to contact an Accutane litigation attorney at our law firm immediately. It may be too late to recover from the debilitating effects of Accutane, but an experienced product liability attorney can assist you in a legal action against the makers of Accutane, Roche Laboratories. You are not alone. Join other Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) victims and their families in fighting for their legal rights.

Please fill out our free legal evaluation form on the far right and we will call or e-mail you back within 24 hours. Please keep in mind that certain states have a statute of limitations that limits the amount of time you have to file an Accutane lawsuit or seek legal action. Contact our law firm immediately so we may explain the rights and options available to you and your family.

Accutane was originally only prescribed to patients with severe acne that did not respond to other forms of acne treatments. However, over the past 25 years Accutane has gained in popularity and is being prescribed not only more frequently, but also for less severe acne. This practice is controversial because Accutane increases a patient’s risk of developing serious side effects such as Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Accutane Symptoms: Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disease of the intestines that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus, causing a wide variety of symptoms. Crohn’s disease primarily causes abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may be bloody), vomiting, or weight loss, but may also cause complications outside of the gastrointestinal tract such as skin rashes, arthritis, inflammation of the eye, tiredness, and lack of concentration.

Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disease, in which the body’s immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract, causing inflammation; it is classified as a type of inflammatory bowel disease. There has been evidence of a genetic link to Crohn’s disease, putting individuals with siblings afflicted with the disease at higher risk. It is understood to have a large environmental component as evidenced by the higher number of cases in western industrialized nations. Males and females are equally affected. Smokers are three times more likely to develop Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease affects between 400,000 and 600,000 people in North America. Crohn’s disease tends to present initially in the teens and twenties, with another peak incidence in the fifties to seventies, although the disease can occur at any age.

There is no known pharmaceutical or surgical cure for Crohn’s disease. Treatment options are restricted to controlling symptoms, maintaining remission and preventing relapse.

Speak to an Accutane Lawyer

If you took Accutane and developed Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we encourage you to contact an Accutane litigation attorney at our law firm immediately. It may be too late to recover from the debilitating effects of Accutane, but an experienced product liability attorney can assist you in a legal action against the makers of Accutane, Roche Laboratories. You are not alone. Join other Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) victims and their families in fighting for their legal rights.

Please fill out our free legal evaluation form on the far right and we will call or e-mail you back within 24 hours. Please keep in mind that certain states have a statute of limitations that limits the amount of time you have to file an Accutane lawsuit or seek legal action. Contact our law firm immediately so we may explain the rights and options available to you and your family.

Accutane (isotretinoin), or Roaccutane as it is known in other parts of the world, was discovered in 1979 and released in 1982 by Hoffmann-La Roche. Accutane was given to patients to treat severe acne because it affects all four ways that acne develops. Most Accutane patients reacted with dramatic and permanent clearing of their acne symptoms. Accutane is a vitamin A derivative (13-cis-retinoic acid) which is administered orally in pill form, for 15 to 20 weeks. Accutane was originally only prescribed to patients with severe acne that did not respond to other forms of acne treatments. However, over the past 25 years Accutane has gained in popularity and is being prescribed not only more frequently, but also for less severe acne. This practice is controversial because Accutane increases a patient’s risk of developing serious side effects such as Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Severe Accutane Side Effects

Severe side effects from the use of the medication Accutane include:

• Abdominal cramps and pain
• Severe urgency to have a bowel movement
• Persistent diarrhea
• Mucus in stools
• Blood in stools
• Bloody stools
• Bloody diarrhea
• Crohn’s disease (CD)
• Ulcerative colitis (UC)
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Speak to an Accutane Lawyer

If you took Accutane and developed Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we encourage you to contact an Accutane litigation attorney at our law firm immediately. It may be too late to recover from the debilitating effects of Accutane, but an experienced product liability attorney can assist you in a legal action against the makers of Accutane, Roche Laboratories. You are not alone. Join other Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) victims and their families in fighting for their legal rights.

Please fill out our free legal evaluation form on the far right and we will call or e-mail you back within 24 hours. Please keep in mind that certain states have a statute of limitations that limits the amount of time you have to file an Accutane lawsuit or seek legal action. Contact our law firm immediately so we may explain the rights and options available to you and your family.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is advising parents and caregivers to be cautious when using infant slings for babies younger than four months of age. In researching incident reports from the past 20 years, CPSC identified and is investigating at least 14 deaths associated with sling-style infant carriers, including three in 2009. Twelve of the deaths involved babies younger than four months of age.

Slings can pose two different types of suffocation hazards to babies. In the first few months of life, babies cannot control their heads because of weak neck muscles. The sling’s fabric can press against an infant’s nose and mouth, blocking the baby’s breathing and rapidly suffocating a baby within a minute or two. Additionally, where a sling keeps the infant in a curled position bending the chin toward the chest, the airways can be restricted, limiting the oxygen supply. The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate.

Many of the babies who died in slings were either a low birth weight twin, were born prematurely, or had breathing issues such as a cold. Therefore, CPSC urges parents of preemies, twins, babies in fragile health and those with low weight to use extra care and consult their pediatricians about using slings.

Two months ago, the Commission added slings to the list of durable infant products that require a mandatory standard. Additionally, CPSC staff is actively investigating these products to determine what additional action may be appropriate. Until a mandatory standard is developed, CPSC is working with ASTM International to quickly complete an effective voluntary standard for infant sling carriers.

CPSC recommends that parents and caregivers make sure the infant’s face is not covered and is visible at all times to the sling’s wearer. If nursing the baby in a sling, change the baby’s position after feeding so the baby’s head is facing up and is clear of the sling and the mother’s body. Parents and caregivers should be vigilant about frequently checking their baby in a sling.

Medical Study Links Fosamax to Femur Bone Fracture

A medical study in the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma links Fosamax to a rare type of fracture in the femur. The small, observational study looked at 70 patients who experienced low-energy femur fractures, which occur when someone falls from a standing height or less. Twenty-five patients (36%) were taking Fosamax on average for four years or more. The Fosamax patients’ fractures had some distinct characteristics: nineteen (76%) of the 25 patients had a simple fracture with a straight line across the bone and a beak-like overhang on one side. Also, the patients’ bones didn’t look like typical osteoporotic bone; they looked strong.

Merck Disagrees with Fosamax Fracture Femur Medical Study

Merck pointed out that Fosamax and other bisphosphonate medications have been shown to decrease the risk of a type of femur fractures common in patients with osteoporosis. In a statement on the new study, Merck said that “a causal association with bisphosphonates and either the fracture pattern or the frequency of these fractures has not been established by the authors.”

Speak to a Fosamax Lawyer

If you took Fosamax and suffered osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), a broken leg, or femur fracture, we encourage you to contact a Fosamax attorney at our law firm immediately. An experienced product liability attorney can assist you in a legal action against the makers of Fosamax. Contact our law firm and learn more about your legal rights and the options available to you and your family.

Cold Therapy Machines Under Investigation

Chronic pain and permanent nerve damage resulting from exposure to cold therapy, ice machines, recirculating ice coolers, cryotherapy and other forms of cold treatment are why numerous consumers are filing cold therapy lawsuits. Several manufacturers of cold therapy machines are being investigated for defective equipment and design flaws that may have caused cold therapy injuries to patients. Some if these cold therapy devices include:

• DonJoy Cold Therapy Machines
• PolarCare Cold Therapy Machines
• EBIce Cold Therapy Machines

Cold therapy lawsuits are being filed by lawyers representing victims injured by these defective products. Cold therapy lawsuits claim that the cold therapy machines were defective in their design by not having adequate safety mechanisms to prevent injury. Cold machine lawsuits also claim these devices fail to adequately warn consumers of the risks involved with extended or prolonged use of their product.

Cold Therapy Attorney

If you or someone you know has been severely injured as a result of cold therapy, ice machines, recirculating ice coolers, cryotherapy or other forms of cold treatment, talk to an attorney for legal advice about a potential cold therapy lawsuit.