Dangerous Drugs & Medical Devices

DRUG AND DEVICE FOCUS

Wallace and Graham lawyers are investigating a number of claims involving potential dangers and side effects from certain drugs and medical devices. The medications involved may be over-the-counter medicines or doctor-prescribed. The devices include things such as knee and hip implants, defective IUDs, and others.

Dangerous Drug & Medical Device Litigation

Depo-Provera (Prescription Contraceptive Injection)

Product & use:
Depo-Provera is an injectable hormonal contraceptive (medroxyprogesterone acetate) administered every three months to prevent pregnancy.

What plaintiffs allege:
Lawsuits claim that long-term use of Depo-Provera significantly increases the risk of intracranial meningiomas (brain tumors). Plaintiffs allege manufacturers failed to adequately warn that prolonged exposure to synthetic progestins could promote tumor growth, leading to neurological symptoms, surgeries, permanent impairment, or death.

Suboxone Film (Opioid-Dependence Treatment)

Product & use:
Suboxone film is a sublingual (dissolving under the tongue or cheek) medication containing buprenorphine and naloxone, prescribed to treat opioid use disorder.

What plaintiffs allege:
Plaintiffs allege that the acidic formulation and delivery method of Suboxone film causes severe dental injuries, including rapid tooth decay, enamel erosion, tooth fractures, infections, and tooth loss. Claims focus on failure to warn that normal use—without misuse—could result in permanent dental damage.

Exactech Orthopedic Implants (Joint Replacement Components)

Product & use:
Exactech manufactured polyethylene components used in hip, knee, and ankle joint replacement surgeries.

What plaintiffs allege:
The litigation alleges that certain implant components were packaged in defective vacuum-sealed bags that allowed oxygen exposure, leading to premature oxidation and degradation of the plastic inserts. Plaintiffs claim this caused early implant failure, pain, inflammation, instability, bone loss, and the need for revision surgeries years earlier than expected.

Bard Implanted Port Catheters (Vascular Access Devices)

Product & use:
Implanted port catheter systems are surgically placed devices used to deliver medications such as chemotherapy, antibiotics, or nutrition directly into the bloodstream.

What plaintiffs allege:
Plaintiffs allege design and manufacturing defects that caused ports or catheters to fracture, migrate, leak, or fail, resulting in serious injuries including bloodstream infections, blood clots, organ damage, embolization of catheter fragments, and the need for emergency surgical removal. Claims also allege inadequate warnings and post-market surveillance.

Covidien Hernia Mesh (Surgical Mesh Implants)

Product & use:
Hernia mesh products are implanted during hernia repair surgery to reinforce weakened tissue.

What plaintiffs allege:
The lawsuits claim that Covidien hernia mesh products are defectively designed and prone to erosion, migration, adhesion, shrinkage, and failure, causing chronic pain, nerve damage, bowel obstruction, perforations, infections, hernia recurrence, and repeat surgeries. Plaintiffs also allege insufficient warnings about long-term risks.

GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda, and Similar)

Product & use:
GLP-1 receptor agonists are injectable or oral medications prescribed for type 2 diabetes and weight loss.

What plaintiffs allege:
Separate from gastrointestinal-injury claims, current litigation focuses on allegations that GLP-1 drugs increase the risk of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy

(NAION), a condition that can cause sudden, permanent vision loss. Plaintiffs allege that manufacturers failed to warn about this risk despite post-marketing safety signals and biological plausibility related to blood flow changes affecting the optic nerve.

Paraquat (Herbicide Exposure)

Product & use:
Paraquat is a widely used agricultural herbicide applied by licensed applicators.

What plaintiffs allege:
Exposure to Paraquat is alleged to significantly increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Plaintiffs claim manufacturers knew or should have known about neurotoxic effects and failed to adequately warn users, leading to permanent neurological impairment, tremors, mobility loss, and cognitive decline.

Zantac / Ranitidine (Heartburn Medication)

Product & use:
Zantac (ranitidine) was an over-the-counter and prescription medication used to treat acid reflux and ulcers.

What plaintiffs allege:
Lawsuits allege that ranitidine breaks down into NDMA, a potent carcinogen, either during storage or after ingestion. Plaintiffs claim this caused various cancers, including bladder, stomach, liver, pancreatic, and esophageal cancer, and that manufacturers failed to warn or recall the drug earlier.

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)

Product & use:
PPIs such as omeprazole, lansoprazole, and esomeprazole are used to treat acid reflux and GERD.

What plaintiffs allege:
Litigation alleges long-term PPI use causes chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, bone fractures, and hypomagnesemia, with inadequate warnings about risks associated with prolonged use.

Elmiron (Interstitial Cystitis Drug)

Product & use:
Elmiron is a prescription medication used to treat bladder pain syndrome (interstitial cystitis).

What plaintiffs allege:
Plaintiffs allege long-term use causes pigmentary maculopathy, a progressive retinal injury leading to blurred vision, difficulty reading, impaired night vision, and irreversible vision loss. Claims focus on delayed warnings despite years of adverse event data.

Tylenol / Acetaminophen (Prenatal Exposure)

Product & use:
Acetaminophen is commonly used during pregnancy for pain and fever relief.

What plaintiffs allege:
Litigation alleges that prenatal exposure increases the risk of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD in children. Plaintiffs claim manufacturers failed to warn pregnant users about neurodevelopmental risks associated with prolonged or repeated use.

Additional Medical Device Mass Torts

Pelvic Mesh / Transvaginal Mesh

Product & use:
Mesh devices implanted to treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence.

What plaintiffs allege:
Plaintiffs allege the mesh erodes, migrates, and contracts, causing chronic pelvic pain, nerve damage, organ perforation, sexual dysfunction, infections, and repeat surgeries. Many claims also involve failure to warn and inadequate clinical testing.

Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filters

Product & use:
IVC filters are implanted to prevent blood clots from traveling to the lungs.

What plaintiffs allege:
Litigation alleges filters are prone to fracture, migration, perforation of blood vessels or organs, and failure to prevent pulmonary embolism. Plaintiffs also allege manufacturers failed to warn that many filters should have been removed after short-term use.

CPAP and BiPAP Sleep Apnea Machines (Foam Degradation)

Product & use:
Continuous and bilevel positive airway pressure machines used to treat sleep apnea.

What plaintiffs allege:
Claims allege that sound-abatement foam degrades and releases toxic particles and chemical vapors that users inhale or ingest, leading to respiratory injuries, lung disease, asthma, organ toxicity, and cancer.

Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants

Product & use:
Artificial hip replacements using metal-on-metal components.

What plaintiffs allege:
Plaintiffs allege excessive metal wear releases cobalt and chromium ions into the body, causing metallosis, tissue death, chronic pain, implant loosening, cardiac and neurological symptoms, and early revision surgery.

Paragard IUD (Copper Intrauterine Device)

Product & use:
Paragard is a non-hormonal intrauterine device made of plastic wrapped with copper wire. It is inserted into the uterus for long-term pregnancy prevention (approved for up to 10 years).

What plaintiffs allege:
Litigation centers on allegations that the Paragard IUD has a design defect that makes it prone to breaking during removal. Plaintiffs allege that the arms of the device can fracture when a physician attempts to remove it, even when removal is performed correctly and without excessive force.