Massachusetts Dialysis Drug Maker’s Actions Lead to Thousands of Lawsuits

Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against a Massachusetts drug maker over risks associated with its dialysis solution.

A Massachusetts dialysis drug maker is the subject of thousands of lawsuits in relation to its dialysis solutions, according to the Boston Herald. The plaintiffs complain that the drug maker failed to properly disclose the risks of its products, including such hazards as heart attacks and even death. The products have already been subject to serious FDA recalls because of improper labelling. The drug maker is also accused of providing more information to its own clinicians and dialysis clinics, but not to other clinics that used its products.

The drug maker faces a staggering number of lawsuits. Well over 5,000 suits have already been filed, with 3,694 of those in Middlesex Superior Court and a further 1,800 filed in the U.S. District Court in Boston. The courts have since consolidated the cases in order to deal with the vast numbers. In all likelihood, the courts will hear one of the cases, which they will then use to represent all of the other plaintiffs.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs allege that the drug maker misled both clinicians and patients about the risks of its dialysis solution. Those risks included stroke, heart attack, and death.

At the center of the lawsuits is an internal memo from the company that plaintiffs allege proves the company knew about the health hazards of its products, but did not disclose that information to the people who needed it. The memo warned about a potential risk for cardiac events, and it was given to the company's own clinics and clinicians. However, the company failed to forward the memo to non-company medical professionals who also used its dialysis solutions, according to Lawyers and Settlements.

When that memo was leaked, the FDA responded by recalling the company's products over labelling problems. The Class 1 recall, which the FDA issued, is the most serious type of recall and it usually means that a product has the potential to cause either serious health problems or death if people are exposed to it.

When patients are treated for a medical condition, they expect to be fully informed about the potential side effects to which any treatment may lead. However, as the above incident shows, some drug manufacturers may mislead patients and even medical staff about the potential dangers of one of their products. Such actions can lead to devastating consequences for patients and their families.

Anybody who has been the victim of a defective or improperly marketed product should contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. An experienced attorney can help product liability victims seek compensation for their suffering and hold manufacturers to account for their actions.

Keywords: Massachusetts, product liability