Category Archives: Gilenya
E-cigarettes Could Increase Risk of Lung Infections
New research suggests the liquid used in electronic cigarettes could increase the risk of viral lung infections, regardless of whether it contains nicotine.
Federal Judge Certifies Medtronic Infuse Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit
A shareholder lawsuit alleging Medtronic Inc. illegally promoted the off-label use of its Infuse bone growth product has been granted class action status by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson of Minnesota. According to a report from Law360.com, the Medtronic Infuse off-label promotion lawsuit was filed by several institutional investors on ...
Fracking Releasing Hazardous Chemicals into Local Waterways
Study shows two hazardous chemicals—ammonium & iodide—are being released & spilled into Pennsylvania and W.Virginia waterways from fracking operations in Marcellus shale.
DePuy ASR Hip Implants, Other Faulty Medical Devices Subject to Little FDA Oversight, Investigation Finds
A newly-published investigation from ProPublica has revealed that several questionable types of medical devices, including DePuy Orthopaedic’s recalled ASR hip implant, managed to make it to market without much scrutiny on the part of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
Actos Whistleblower Lawsuit Questions Avandia Researcher's Financial Ties to Takeda
A prominent researcher has been implicated in an alleged cover-up of Actos side effects, according to a report from TheHeart.org. An Actos whistleblower lawsuit unsealed earlier this year has alleged financial connections between the Cleveland Clinic’s Dr Steven Nissen and the maker of Actos “should be considered when analyzing Actos’s ...
U.K. Regulators Issue Additional Guidance for Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Recipients
Regulators in the U.K. are once again issuing advice to doctors and other healthcare professionals involved in the follow-up of patients with metal-on-metal hip replacement devices. In an alert issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), guidance is provided for four groups of metal-on-metal hip implant ...
First DePuy ASR Hip Implant Lawsuits Head to Trial in December, January
The first trials involving lawsuits filed against DePuy Orthopaedics by recipients of its recalled ASR Hip Implants will begin later this year, and early next year. The first is slated to start on December 3, 2012 in state court in Las Vegas, Nevada. A second DePuy ASR hip implant lawsuit ...
Johnson & Johnson Marketing of Gynecare Prolift Transvaginal Mesh Raises More Questions
Johnson & Johnson and its Ethicon unit are again coming under scrutiny for the way it marketed its Gynecare ProLift transvaginal mesh product. According to a new report from Bloomberg News, Johnson & Johnson continued marketing the Gynecare ProLift device for months after it received a warning from the ...
J.J. Fuds, Inc. Pet Food Recalled Over Potential Listeria Contamination
J.J. Fuds, has recalled a specific lot of its J.J. Fuds Chicken Tender Chunks Pet Food over potential contamination with the dangerous, Listeria monocytogenes pathogen.
Bayer Yaz, Yasmin Blood Clot Lawsuit Settlements Stand at $147 Million
Bayer AG reported yesterday that it continues to settle Yaz and Yasmin birth control pill lawsuits. According to a report from Bloomberg News, the company said in its latest Stockholder Newsletter that it has settled 651 Yaz and Yasmin blood clot lawsuits for a total of $147 million. The average ...Health Canada Strengthens Safety Warnings for Multiple Sclerosis Drug Gilenya
Health Canada, Canada’s health regulatory agency, has updated the label information for the multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya (fingolimod) to include stronger safety warnings on the risk of skin cancer and the rare brain infection progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), which can … Continue reading
FDA Updates Gilenya Label to Include Cases of Rare Brain Infection
In a Drug Safety Communication issued Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that the multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya was linked to two cases of rare brain infection. One definite case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) and one probable … Continue reading
U.K. Regulator Warns Against Gilenya For Heart Patients
U.K. regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), just issued a warning against Gilenya (fingolimod) use in heart patients. The MHRA also called for extended early monitoring for patients diagnosed with significant bradycardia or heart block after the … Continue reading
FDA Announces New Gilenya Restrictions for Heart Patients
U.S. health regulators have issued new restrictions for Gilenya, Novartis AG’s’ pill for treating multiple sclerosis. According to a Drug Safety Communication issued by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday, Gilenya is now contraindicated (FDA advises against its use) … Continue reading
Gilenya to Bear New Label Warnings Following Patient Deaths, Safety Reviews
Novartis has announced that it is modifying the label for Gilenya, its oral multiple sclerosis medication, following safety reviews in the U.S. and Europe. Both the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) launched Gilenya … Continue reading
Gilenya Patient Stricken with PML Brain Infection
Novartis AG announced on Friday that a patient taking its Gilenya pill for multiple sclerosis had developed a serious, life-threatening brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML. According The Wall Street Journal, the report will likely raise more questions … Continue reading
Doctors Back Off Gilenya Amid Safety Woes
Doctors are backing off prescribing multiple sclerosis (MS) medication, Gilenya (gingolimod) amid a number of safety woes. Gilenya is manufactured by Novartis AG and received U.S. regulatory approval September 2010. As we reported previously, Gilenya, the first approved MS pill, … Continue reading
MS Drug Gilenya Under Review in Europe, but Still Deemed Safe by FDA
US medical professionals are continuing to back Novartis’ Gilenya (fingolimod) despite the growing concern following several cases of patient death in the past few months. To investigate the effects of Gilenya on one’s cardiovascular health, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) … Continue reading
