Inspections, Compliance, Enforcement, and Criminal Investigations

Depuy Orthopaedics, Inc. 8/19/10

Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health ServiceFood and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993

WARNING LETTER

August 19, 2010

David Floyd
President
DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc.
700 Orthopaedic Drive
Warsaw, Indiana 46582

RE: TruMatch™ Personalized Solutions System
Corail® Hip System
Refer to GEN0901195 when replying to this letter.

Dear Mr. Floyd:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has learned that your firm is marketing the TruMatch™ Personalized Solutions System and the Corail® Hip System in the United States (U.S.) without the required marketing clearance or approval, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act).

The Office of Compliance (OC) in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) reviewed your website, www.depuyorthopaedics.com for the TruMatch™ Personalized Solutions System and the Corail® Hip System. The products are devices within the meaning of section 201(h) of the Act 21 U.S.C. § 321(h), because they are intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or is intended to affect the structure or function of the body. The Act requires that manufacturers of devices that are not exempt obtain marketing approval or clearance for their products from the FDA before they may offer them for sale. This helps protect the public health by ensuring that new devices are shown to be both safe and effective or substantially equivalent to other devices already legally marketed in this country for which approval is not required.

TruMatch™

A review of our records reveals that you have not obtained marketing approval or clearance before you began offering the TruMatch™ Personalized Solutions System for sale, which is a violation of the law. Specifically, the TruMatch™ Personalized Solutions System is adulterated under section 501(f)(1)(B) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 351(f)(1)(B), because you do not have an approved application for premarket approval (PMA) in effect pursuant to section 515(a) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 360e(a), or an approved application for investigational device exemptions (IDE) under section 520(g) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 360j(g). The device is also misbranded under section 502(o) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 352(o), because you did not notify the agency of your intent to introduce the device into commercial distribution. as required by section 510(k) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 360(k). For a device requiring premarket approval, the notification required by section 510(k) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 360(k), is deemed satisfied when a PMA is pending before the agency. 21 C.F.R. 807.81(b). The kind of information you need to submit in order to obtain approval or clearance for your device is described on the Internet at http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/devadvice/3122.html. The FDA will evaluate the information you submit and decide whether your product may be legally marketed.

Corail® Hip System

A review of our records indicates that we cleared a premarket notification (510(k)) for the Corail® Hip System, K042992, with an intended use for total hip arthroplasty “to provide increased patient mobility and reduce pain by replacing the damaged hip joint articulation in patients where there is evidence of sufficient sound bone to seat and support the components.” In addition, total hip replacement is indicated in the following conditions:

1. A severely painful and/or disabled joint from osteoarthritis, traumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or congenital hip dysplasia.
2. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head.
3. Acute traumatic fracture of the femoral head or neck.
4. Failed previous hip surgery including joint reconstruction, internal fixation, arthrodesis, hemiarthroplasty, surface replacement arthroplasty, or total hip replacement.
5. Certain cases of ankylosis.

The non·porous Corail AMT Hip Stem is indicated for cementless use only.

However, a brochure on your website,

http://www.depuyorthopaedics.com/HealthCare/Related%20Documents/HIPS/CEMETL

ESS%20STEMS/CORAIL%20AMT/DO Corail_AMT_ Design Rationale_ 0612-70-501r2.pdf, states the following claims about the Corail® Hip System:

• “Proprietary HA coating for initial osteointegration and fixation” (page 3);
• “Proprietary HA coating … clinically demonstrated rapid trabeculae formation leading to rapid fixation,” and “promotes osteointegration for excellent fixation” (page 4);

Promotion of this device for osseointegration (a.k.a. osteointegration), whether explicitly or implicitly (for example, through fixation claims that imply osseointegration). represent a major change or modification in the intended use of your device that require a new premarket notification. 21 CFR 807.81(a)(3)(ii). Because of these claims, the Corail® Hip System is adulterated under section 501(f)(1)(B) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 351(f)(1)(B), because you do not have an approved application for premarket approval (PMA) in effect pursuant to section 515(a) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 360e(a), or an approved application for an investigational device exemption (IDE) under section 520(g) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 360j(g). The device is also misbranded under section, 502(o) of the Act, 21.U.S.C. 352(o), because you did not submit to FDA a notification respecting the changes to the intended use of the device, as required by section 510(k) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 360(k), and 21 CFR 807.81(a)(3)(ii).

FDA requests that DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. immediately cease marketing the Corail® Hip System for unapproved uses such as those described above. You should take prompt action to correct the violations listed in this letter. Failure to promptly correct these violations may result in regulatory action being initiated by the Food and Drug Administration without further notice. These actions include, but are not limited to seizure, injunction, and lor civil money penalties.

Please notify this office in writing within fifteen (15) working days from the date you receive this letter of the specific steps you have taken to correct the noted violations for the TruMatch™ Personalized Solutions System and the Corail® Hip System, including an explanation of how you plan to prevent these violations, or similar violations, from occurring again. Include documentation of the corrective action you have taken. If corrective action cannot be completed within 15 working days, state the reason for the delay and the time within which the corrections will be completed. Please include in your response a list all promotional materials for the Corail® Hip System containing claims for unapproved uses such as those described above, and explain your plan for discontinuing such claims.

Your response should be sent to:

Matthew Krueger
Chief
Orthopedic and Physical Medicine Devices Branch
Office of Compliance
Center for Devices and
Radiological Health
WO 66, Room 3676
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002

If you have any questions about the content of this letter please contact: Amy Skrzypchak at phone number (301) 796-5613 or amy.skrzypchak@fda.hhs.gov.

Finally, you should know that this letter is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the violations by your facility. It is your responsibility to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations administered by FDA. You should investigate and determine the causes of the violations, and take prompt actions to correct the violations, and to bring your products into compliance.

Sincerely,

/s/

Timothy A. Ulatowski
Director
Office of Compliance
Center for Devices and
Radiological Health

******************************************

DePuy Hip Implant Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured as the result of a DePuy Orthopaedics – Johnson & Johnson  hip replacement implant product, talk to a DePuy Hip Implant Attorney at the Willis Law Firm for legal advice about a potential DePuy hip replacement lawsuit.  Please fill out the Free Case Evaluation at the right or call us toll-free at 1-800-883-9858.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are required to have a revision replacement surgery to remove and replace a faulty DePuy Hip Implant, notify your doctors that you want the hip implant to be preserved as evidence and NOT shipped or returned to the manufacturer, as it is critical evidence in a potential product liability lawsuit against DePuy and Johnson & Johnson.

New safety information will be included in the Tysabri (natalizumab) drug label and patient Medication Guide: The risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) increases with the number of Tysabri infusions received.

PML is a rare brain infection that usually causes death or severe disability. This new safety information is based on reports of 31 confirmed cases of PML received by FDA as of Jan. 21, 2010.

The drug label will also include information about the occurrence of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in people who developed PML and then stopped using Tysabri. IRIS is a rare but severe inflammatory response that can cause worsening of multiple sclerosis.

Tysabri is approved to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, and moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease. (PMS has not been reported in people treated with Tysabri for Crohn’s disease.)

At this time, FDA believes that the benefits of Tysabri continue to outweigh the potential risks.

Recommendation: If you take Tysabri, call your health care professional right away if you get any new or worsening medical problems (such as a new or sudden change in your thinking, eyesight, balance, or strength or other problems) that have lasted over several days.

This article appears on FDA’s Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

Tysabri PML Lawyer

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with PML, or been treated with Tysabri infusions, contact our law firm to speak to a PML lawyer about your legal options. Every attorney at our law firm is dedicated to fighting for the rights of those that have been harmed by dangerous and recalled drugs and medical devices. For over 25 years, Attorney David Willis has been a trial lawyer representing seriously injured clients in product liability and personal injury lawsuits such as defective drug litigation, class action drug lawsuits and medical device recall lawsuits. If Tysabri has harmed you, or a loved one, contact us right now to discuss your potential case in filing a Tysabri PML Lawsuit with an Attorney.

Recall Class: Class I

Date Recall Initiated: November 6, 2009

Product Name: Trailblazer Support Catheter

These devices were manufactured from September 11, 2009 through September 29, 2009 and distributed from September 21, 2009 through October 27, 2009.

Use:

This catheter is a device that is introduced into a vein or artery through the skin (percutaneous) in order to guide and support a guide wire during access of blood vessels to allow wire exchanges and to provide a passage to deliver solutions to diagnose or to treat patients.

Recalling Firm:

ev3, Inc.
4600 Nathan Lane North
Plymouth, Minnesota 55442-2890

Reason for Recall:

This device may crack near the radiopaque marker band. This may result in serious patient injury, including insufficient oxygen supply to the tissues, damage to blood vessels, heart attack, limb amputation, unplanned surgery, and/or death.

Public Contact:

The company may be contacted at 1-800-716-6700, Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Central Time.

FDA District: Minneapolis

FDA Comments:

On November 6, 2009, the company sent a letter to their customers stating the:

• summary of the problem
• affected products
• required actions
• instructions to locate and remove all affected products

All affected products have been returned to the firm.

Class 1 recalls are the most serious type of recall and involve situations in which there is a reasonable probability that use of these products will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

Health care professionals and consumers may report adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of these products to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by FAX.

FDA Warns Consumers Not to Use Stolen Albuterol Sulfate Inhalation Solution and Ipratropium Bromide Inhalation Solution

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today advised consumers not to use certain respiratory medications purchased after Sept. 8, 2009 and manufactured by Dey L.P., a subsidiary of Mylan Inc., because the medications might have been part of a shipment being transported on a tractor-trailer stolen in Tampa, Fla., on Sept. 8, 2009.

The respiratory medications, Ipratropium Bromide Inhalation Solution, 0.02%, and Albuterol Sulfate Inhalation Solution, 0.083%, unit-dose vials, have not been recovered and may be dangerous to use because the drugs may not have been stored and handled properly.

Dey issued an advisory on Sept. 11, 2009 regarding the theft. Although the FDA is not aware of any reports of adverse events, the agency is advising patients who use these respiratory medications to check to see if products received or purchased after Sept. 8, 2009 are from one of the following lots:

Albuterol Sulfate Inhalation Solution (892,000 doses; all lots contain 3.0 ml vials and display the brand name “Dey”)

• Lot number 9G04, NDC # 49502-697-29
• Lot number 9FD8, NDC # 49502-697-61
• Lot number 9FD9, NDC # 49502-697-61
• Lot number 9FE1, NDC # 49502-697-61

Ipratropium Bromide Inhalation Solution (432,000 doses; all lots contain 2.5 ml vials and display the brand name “Dey”)

• Lot number F09089, NDC # 49502-685-31
• Lot number C09119, NDC # 49502-685-62
• Lot number C09120, NDC # 49502-685-62

Do not use Albuterol Sulfate Inhalation Solution or Ipratropium Bromide Inhalation Solution if it is from one of these lots and was purchased or received after Sept. 8, 2009. Replace it with the same product from another lot.

Notify your health care professional of any adverse effects you may have experienced as a result of taking these medications.

Bring products from these lots back to the pharmacy where you received the medicine to exchange for products from a different lot or call Dey customer service at 800-527-4278. Contact your health care professional if you must switch to another product for any reason for possible dose adjustments.

Dietary Supplements Linked to One Death; Pose Risk of Liver Injury.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., of Oakville, Ontario and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y. Some Hydroxycut products are associated with a number of serious liver injuries. Iovate has agreed to recall Hydroxycut products from the market.

The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, an indicator of potential liver injury, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA. Other health problems reported include seizures; cardiovascular disorders; and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.

Liver injury, although rare, was reported by patients at the doses of Hydroxycut recommended on the bottle. Symptoms of liver injury include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes) and brown urine. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, excessive fatigue, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, itching, and loss of appetite.

“The FDA urges consumers to discontinue use of Hydroxycut products in order to avoid any undue risk. Adverse events are rare, but exist. Consumers should consult a physician or other health care professional if they are experiencing symptoms possibly associated with these products,” said Linda Katz, M.D., interim chief medical officer of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Hydroxycut products are dietary supplements that are marketed for weight-loss, as fat burners, as energy-enhancers, as low carb diet aids, and for water loss under the Iovate and MuscleTech brand names. The list of products being recalled by Iovate currently includes:

• Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
• Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
• Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
• Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
• Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
• Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
• Hydroxycut 24
• Hydroxycut Carb Control
• Hydroxycut Natural

Although the FDA has not received reports of serious liver-related adverse reactions for all Hydroxycut products, Iovate has agreed to recall all the products listed above. Hydroxycut Cleanse and Hoodia products are not affected by the recall. Consumers who have any of the products involved in the recall are advised to stop using them and to return them to the place of purchase. The agency has not yet determined which ingredients, dosages, or other health-related factors may be associated with risks related to these Hydroxycut products. The products contain a variety of ingredients and herbal extracts.

Health care professionals and consumers are encouraged to report serious adverse events (side effects) or product quality problems with the use of these products to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online, by regular mail, fax or phone.

The FDA continues to investigate the potential relationship between Hydroxycut dietary supplements and liver injury or other potentially serious side effects.

Agency Warns Against Chronic Use of These Products to Treat Gastrointestinal Disorders.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that manufacturers of metoclopramide, a drug used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, must add a boxed warning to their drug labels about the risk of its long-term or high-dose use. Chronic use of metoclopramide has been linked to tardive dyskinesia, which may include involuntary and repetitive movements of the body, even after the drugs are no longer taken.

Manufacturers will be required to implement a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS, to ensure patients are provided with a medication guide that discusses this risk.

The FDA wants patients and health care professionals to know about this risk so they can make informed decisions about treatment, said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. The chronic use of metoclopramide therapy should be avoided in all but rare cases where the benefit is believed to outweigh the risk.

Current product labeling warns of the risk of tardive dyskinesia with chronic metoclopramide treatment. The development of this condition is directly related to the length of time a patient is taking metoclopramide and the number of doses taken. Those at greatest risk include the elderly, especially older women, and people who have been on the drug for a long time.

Tardive dyskinesia is characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements of the extremities, or lip smacking, grimacing, tongue protrusion, rapid eye movements or blinking, puckering and pursing of the lips, or impaired movement of the fingers. These symptoms are rarely reversible and there is no known treatment. However, in some patients, symptoms may lessen or resolve after metoclopramide treatment is stopped.

Metoclopramide works by speeding up the movement of the stomach muscles, thus increasing the rate at which the stomach empties into the intestines. It is used as a short-term treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients who have not responded to other therapies, and to treat diabetic gastroparesis (slowed emptying of the stomach’s contents into the intestines). It is recommended that treatment not exceed three months.

Metoclopramide is available in a variety of formulations including tablets, syrups and injections. Names of metoclopramide-containing products include Reglan Tablets, Reglan Oral Disintegrating Tablets, Metoclopramide Oral Solution, and Reglan Injection. More than two million Americans use these products.

Recently published analyses suggest that metoclopramide is the most common cause of drug-induced movement disorders. Another analysis of study data by the FDA showed that about 20 percent of patients in that study who used metoclopramide took it for longer than three months. The FDA has also become aware of continued spontaneous reports of tardive dyskinesia in patients who used metoclopramide, the majority of whom had taken the drug for more than three months.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked manufacturers to include a new boxed warning on the product labeling of all gadolinium-based contrast agents which are used to enhance the quality of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The requested warning would state that patients with severe kidney insufficiency who receive gadolinium-based agents are at risk for developing a debilitating, and a potentially fatal disease known as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). In addition, it would state that patients just before or just after liver transplantation, or those with chronic liver disease, are also at risk for developing NSF if they are experiencing kidney insufficiency of any severity.

“FDA has been carefully monitoring potential safety signals related to these contrast agents after receiving reports about the risk of this potentially life-threatening disease,” said Steven Galson, M.D., M.P.H., director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “This latest action demonstrates FDA’s continuing vigilance about ensuring the safety of drug products once they enter the marketplace.”

Patients with NSF develop thickening of the skin and connective tissues that inhibits their ability to move and may result in broken bones. Other organs are at risk of thickening as well. The cause of NSF is not known and there is no consistently effective treatment of this condition.

FDA first notified health care professionals and the public about the gadolinium-related risks for NSF in June 2006 . Information on the risks was updated in December.

Gadolinium-based contrast agents are commonly used to improve the visibility of internal structures when patients undergo an MRI. Five gadolinium-based contrast agents have been approved for use in the United States: Magnevist (gadopentetate dimeglumine), Ominiscan (gadodiamide); OptiMARK (gadoversetamide); MultiHance;(gadobenate dimeglumine);and Prohance (gadoteridol).

Reports have identified the development of NSF following single and multiple administrations of the gadolinium-based contrast agents. The reports have not always identified a specific agent. Omniscan was the most commonly reported agent, when a specific agent was identified, followed by Magnevist and OptiMARK.

NSF also has developed after the sequential administration of Omniscan and MultiHance and Omniscan and ProHance. Because reports incompletely describe exposure to gadolinium-based contrast agents, it is not possible to know if the extent of risks for developing NSF is the same for all agents.

Patients should be screened for kidney problems prior to receiving one of these imaging agents. The recommended dose should not be exceeded and enough time should elapse to ensure that a dose has been eliminated from the body before the agent is used again.

There have been no reports of NSF among patients with normal kidney function or those with mild-to-moderate kidney insufficiency.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved revised labeling for Trasylol (aprotinin injection) to strengthen its safety warnings and to limit its approved usage to specific situations. Trasylol is given to patients before heart surgery to reduce bleeding and the need for blood transfusions. Trasylol is marketed by Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Leverkusen, Germany.

“The purpose of the label change is to inform physicians and patients about the risks associated with Trasylol and to ensure they understand the new warnings and use the product as directed by the label,” said Steven Galson, M.D., MPH, Director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The new labeling specifies that Trasylol should only be given to patients who are at an increased risk for blood loss and blood transfusion in the setting of coronary bypass graft surgery (a procedure used to improve blood flow to the heart) when patients undergo cardiopulmonary bypass (a procedure that allows a machine to take over the heart’s functions when it is stopped during surgery). The changes also include a warning that Trasylol increases the possible risk for kidney damage, and suggest ways to manage and reduce the patient’s risk for hypersensitivity (exaggerated immune) reactions.

The labeling changes follow an FDA-conducted review of safety information that FDA became aware of after the product was introduced to the market. FDA began this safety review of Trasylol in January 2006. The review was triggered by the results of two published research studies. One study reported an increase in the possibility of kidney failure, heart attack and stroke in patients treated with Trasylol compared to those treated with other drugs. The other study reported an increase in the possibility of kidney damage compared to other drugs, but did not show an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. On February 8, 2006, FDA issued a Public Health Advisory regarding these new findings with Trasylol. On September 21, 2006, FDA held a public meeting of the Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee to discuss the safety and overall risk-benefit profile for Trasylol. At that meeting, the committee discussed the findings from the two published observational studies, a Bayer worldwide safety review, and the FDA review of its own post-marketing database, and made recommendations for labeling changes. The labeling changes for Trasylol are based upon the recommendations of that advisory committee.

FDA announced on September 29, 2006, that Bayer informed the agency of an additional safety study on September 27, 2006. The preliminary results from that study suggest that in addition to serous kidney damage, Trasylol may increase the chance for death, congestive heart failure (a weakening of the heart), and strokes. The FDA review of this additional Trasylol safety information is continuing and it may result in other actions, including additional changes to the labeling.

Trasylol FDA Advisory
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued a Public Health Advisory alerting doctors who perform heart bypass surgery, and their patients, that Trasylol (aprotinin injection), a drug used to prevent blood loss during surgery, has been linked in two scientific publications to higher risks of serious side effects including kidney problems, heart attacks and strokes in patients who undergo artery bypass graft surgery.

“FDA is conducting a thorough evaluation of the safety profile for this drug in light of the recent publications,” said Dr. Steven Galson, Director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “We’re working to evaluate the potential risks and determine whether there is a need for further action. In the meantime, we advise providers to carefully assess the benefits and risks of the drug for their patients.”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued a public health advisory to inform patients and health care providers about the suspended marketing of Tysabri (nataluzimab) while the agency and the manufacturer evaluate two serious adverse events reported with its use.

Tysabri, which received accelerated approval from FDA in November 2004, is an innovative treatment that represents a new approach to treating patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

“FDA worked with the company to make sure this information, even though preliminary, was given to physicians and patients as soon as possible and supports their decision to voluntarily suspend marketing as well as the use of the product in clinical trials. At the same time, FDA continues to believe Tysabri offers great hope to MS patients,” said Steven Galson, M.D., MPH, Acting Director, FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “Patients being treated with Tysabri should contact their physician to discuss appropriate alternative treatments while these reports are being evaluated,” added Dr. Galson.

FDA received a report from Biogen Idec, the manufacturer of Tysabri, of one confirmed fatal case and one possible case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in patients receiving Tysabri for MS. FDA was given preliminary information about these cases by Biogen, Idec on February 18, 2005. Details became available to FDA the next week.

PML is a rare, serious progressive neurologic disease usually occurring in immunosuppressed patients. There is no known effective treatment for PML. Although the relationship between Tysabri and PML is not known at this time, because of the serious and often fatal nature of PML, FDA concurred with the company that the drug be voluntarily withdrawn from marketing and that the use of Tysabri in clinical trials be suspended until more is known.

During the review of Tysabri for marketing approval, FDA conducted an intensive analysis of possible adverse events that might be related to effects of the drug on the immune system. No cases of PML were seen in the clinical trials. However, for any approved therapy, new and unexpected adverse events may occur that were not seen in clinical trials. In the case of Tysabri, required post-marketing studies facilitated the rapid reporting and response to this new information.

According to Biogen, Idec, outside of the approximately 3,000 patients who received the drug in clinical trials, approximately 5,000 additional patients with MS have received Tysabri through their primary physician. Because Tysabri was just recently approved, these patients have only received at most a few doses of Tysabri.

The FDA will maintain close contact with the company during the process of understanding the relationship between Tysabri and these two serious adverse events. The company is working on ways to get additional information soon about the possible risks of PML from the patients who have received Tysabri in the clinical trials.

The FDA urges health care providers and patients to report adverse event information to FDA via the MedWatch program.

Tysabri PML Lawyer

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with PML, or been treated with Tysabri infusions, contact our law firm to speak to a PML lawyer about your legal options. Every attorney at our law firm is dedicated to fighting for the rights of those that have been harmed by dangerous and recalled drugs and medical devices. For over 25 years, Attorney David Willis has been a trial lawyer representing seriously injured clients in product liability and personal injury lawsuits such as defective drug litigation, class action drug lawsuits and medical device recall lawsuits. If Tysabri has harmed you, or a loved one, contact us right now to discuss your potential case in filing a Tysabri PML Lawsuit with an Attorney.