Benicar lawsuit
Benicar hypertension medication produced by Daiichi Sankyo has put its consumers at risk for life threatening, debilitating and life altering side effects such as chronic diarrhea. As a result and in an effort to hold Daiichi Sankyo accountable for its negligent behaviour Benicar class action lawsuits are being reviewed and filed all across the United States.
Several blood pressure drugs sold by Daiichi Sankyo contain the same pharmaceutical ingredient, including:
- Benicar
- Benicar HCT
- Azor
- Tribenzor
From 2002 to 2008 Daiichi Sankyo spent an estimated $1 billion dollars to promote its product Benicar, with claims Benicar was superior in its safety and effectiveness, in comparison to other drugs in its market. Information regarding the potential risks and side effects associated with the usage of Benicar was added to the warning label for the first time in late 2013 by the FDA. This label indicated that the medication may cause chronic diarrhea and weight loss, which may not appear until months or even years after the initial use of Benicar.
These warnings came more than 10 years after Benicar was approved and nearly a year after an independent study published by Mayo Clinic in August 2012 reported findings that patients suffering from chronic diarrhea and Celiac like disease symptoms, showed improvement when Benicar was no longer used. Various studies have confirmed that the chronic diarrhea from Benicar usage typically stopped when the medication is no longer used and resumed when the drug was started again.
This phenomenon is known as the “challenge-dechallenge-rechallenge” and it is strong evidence of a causal connection between Benicar and chronic diarrhea along with the other symptoms previously mentioned.
Benicar Class Action Lawsuit
These class action Benicar lawsuits are being filed against Daiichi Sankyio saying the company had a responsibility to conduct all necessary testing and research prior to making Benicar available to the public. The allegation is that Daichii Sankyo put consumers at risk by manufacturing a defective and dangerous product.
Benicar lawsuits are being filed for Daichii Sankyo’s inability to adequately label its product with the proper warnings of side effects, such as chronic diarrhea relating to the product. Patients should have been informed of the possible side effects prior to deciding on taking the risk related to Benicar. According to Benicar lawsuit allegations Daiichi Sankyo knew or should have discovered the link between Benicar and diarrhea problems as the rate of symptoms consistent with celiac disease was seen among independent reviews of adverse event data. The class-action lawsuit looks to recompense those individuals who suffered from the side effects that Benicar failed to display
Furthermore, it is known that as protocol physicians prescribe hypertension medications for a period of 6 months to a year or even longer but Benicar clinical trials lasted only up to three months in duration. These clinical trials did not follow up on participants In most cases symptoms of Benicar including chronic diarrhea do not appear for many months after use of the drug begins, so longer clinical trials could have and should have discovered these Benicar effects earlier.
It is alleged that Daiichi Sankyo did not make the public’s health and best interest a priority as it did not conduct sufficient research and testing prior to releasing Benicar. Once their product was out they failed to follow up on clinical testing, and ensure warnings and labels were made available in a timely manner. Benicar has put its consumers in dangerous, debilitating and even life-threatening health conditions. As well as caused its patients time and money in the effort to come to an appropriate diagnosis. The Benicar lawsuit looks to compensate patients for being put in danger and in life-altering living conditions.
What is Benicar
Benicar is a blood pressure medication that blocks receptors, known as angiotensin receptors. Angiotensin II is a hormone that causes the blood vessels to constrict. Benicar works by inhibiting the action of this hormone (as well as reducing the secretion and production of other hormones involved in regulating blood pressure), allowing for blood vessels to become dilated.
In other words, Benicar (olmesartan) is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. Olmesartan keeps blood vessels from narrowing, thus lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow.
Benicar treats high blood pressure (hypertension) in adults and children who are at least 6 years old.
Benicar side effects
In July 2013, the FDA issued a formal warning to Benicar consumers and the medical community of Benicar Sprue-Like Enteropathy. This warning indicated that the hypertension medication Benicar put patients at risk of chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, bloating, nausea, vomiting and severe weight loss and even anemia. This is a cause for a class action lawsuit.
In addition patients consuming Benicar may also suffer from a condition known as Villous atrophy, a disorder that affects the texture of the lining of the intestines. This loss of texture makes it difficult to absorb nutrients, possibly leading to malnourishment and other digestive issues. To add to the severity of the risks associated with Benicar, the onset of the chronic diarrhea and other side effects was not always apparent with the initial use of the medication but often after months or even years of usage.
Initially, Benicar consumers who reported suffering from severe diarrhea and other symptoms to their doctors were misdiagnosed with Celiac due to its symptomatic similarities, however, for these consumers a blood test showing antibodies would eliminate Celiac as a cause. To conclude, the Benicar lawsuit will compensate individuals for their sufferings from the side effects of Benicar that was not mentioned for its consumers.