If you are prescribed medication by your doctor, you trust it will treat your condition with minimal side effects. Topamax is one such drug that has been given to millions who suffer migraines and seizures. The problem is that, in some cases, the treatment can be worse than the problem you are trying to fix.
After years of use, Topamax has been found to cause many severe side effects, even birth defects. If you or a loved one was harmed due to taking Topamax, call Phillips Law Group right away. Our team of experienced Topamax side effects lawyers stands ready to fight for every client’s compensation claims. We are one of Arizona’s largest consumer law firms for a reason.
Call Phillips Law Group today at (602) 222-2222 for a free consultation. No one should have to fight against powerful pharmaceutical companies on their own. If you have a case, we will not stop until we have exhausted every opportunity to get you the compensation you deserve. Our services are provided on a contingency basis, which means you will not have to pay unless you win.
What is Topamax?
Topamax was first approved by the FDA in 1996 as a popular anti-convulsant medication to prevent seizures from occurring. The main ingredient, topiramate, proved to be successful in reducing the excitement level in the brain and was eventually approved to help prevent migraine headaches from occurring. While those were the two main reasons why Topamax was prescribed, many doctors prescribed it to treat other brain conditions.
Other brain disorders Topamax was prescribed to treat include:
- Bipolar disorder
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
FDA Warning About Topamax
By the time 2011 rolled around, it became clear that Topamax was causing birth defects. The FDA forced manufacturers of the drug to increase the level of warnings about their product. While this oversight is good, the problem is the FDA knew Topamax was causing congenital birth defects 3 years before.
According to a 2008 study published in Neurology magazine, a troubling correlation was found. Pregnant women who took Topamax in their first trimester were more likely to give birth to children with a malformation. 16 out of 176 live births resulted in a major congenital malformation or MCM. While the sample size was small, the numbers were enough to warrant FDA intervention years sooner.
Manufacturers of Topamax Pay Fines
Pharmaceutical companies are not permitted by law to promote their drugs beyond what is approved by the FDA. This includes advertising and marketing by attempting to convince doctors to prescribe “off-label,” or for unapproved uses or conditions.
Even before the FDA required warnings, the drug manufacturers pleaded guilty to violating the law. The DOJ found that Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals promoted off-label use to doctors, which led to the company being fined for two separate violations:
- The first was a $75.37 million fine for violating the False Claims Act
- The second involved a $6.14 million criminal fine
Topamax Side Effects
As with many other prescription medications, Topamax comes with a handful of common and severe side effects. Many off-label users who were prescribed the drug experienced dangerous problems that harmed them in some way. This is why the FDA prohibits the promotion of prescriptions for uses unapproved by the agency.
Common Topamax side effects include:
- Tiredness
- Clumsiness
- Speech issues
- Decreased sensitivity in the skin
- Decreased appetite
- Memory loss
- Slowed thinking
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Burning or tingling sensations
- Changes in taste
- Nervousness
Severe side effects can include:
- Exhaustion
- Loss of appetite
- Redness
- Eye pain
- Double vision
- Increased body temperature
- Decreased sweating
- Blurry vision
- Metabolic acidosis
- Mental confusion
- Heartbeat changes
- Menstrual problems
- Suicidal thoughts
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Aggressiveness
- Panic attacks
- Mania
One of the main concerns with Topamax is the birth defects that result from its use by pregnant women. The list of birth defects caused by Topamax include:
- Cleft lip or palate
- Lung defect
- Spina Bifida
- Low birth weight
- Heart defects
- Limb defects and malformations
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Fetal death
If you or a loved one developed devastating side effects after using Topamax, contact Phillips Law Group right away. You may be able to receive compensation for the damages caused by this drug.
Topamax Manufacturers Had a Duty to Warn About Harmful Side Effects
When a company puts out a product that can cause harm, it is legally responsible for warning about any potential issues. This is a part of tort law called “duty to warn.”
If said company fails to warn users of potential side effects stemming from its product, it can be held liable for injuries that occurred. Pregnant women who sued Janssen believed manufacturers should have warned about birth defects.
This problem is especially troubling when considering the risk to unborn children. The plaintiffs stated that Janssen deprived them of the choice to consider other healthcare options. These other options might have protected their unborn children from devastating defects. Instead, many were born who would require costly surgery and other treatments to fix issues like cleft lips and palettes. Without proper warning, plaintiffs argued they would be due financial compensation for damages.
Why You Should Hire a Topamax Side Effects Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured by Topamax or any other prescription drug, you may be thinking about suing for compensation. The problem is that the process is not as easy as you might think. Big pharma is a massive multi-trillion-dollar industry with the resources to defend against any claims made against them. Rarely do these companies accept any responsibility for any harm they might cause. There is too much money at stake for them to let your injuries get in their way.
Due to the size of pharmaceutical companies, it often takes massive class action lawsuits to move the needle. Class action suits require the use of multidistrict litigation. This is where multiple similar cases are brought into the jurisdiction of one court. Even after the cases are gathered, there will be an element of investigating the claims and gathering evidence.
This does not mean fighting against pharmaceutical companies is a lost cause. On the contrary, several significant cases have been won before. Punitive damages have been awarded to injured clients due to the reckless behavior of these companies.
Pharmaceutical companies have lost cases after being found to have:
- Bypassed rules and regulations to get FDA approval
- Violated FDA regulations
- Hidden test results from the public
- Failed to provide adequate warnings of dangerous side effects
- Promoted off-label uses of medications
Contact Our Topamax Side Effects Lawyers Right Away
Topamax is a widely used drug that has helped many patients overcome their seizures and treat migraines. But off-label use and a lack of warning about dangerous side effects have caused much harm. If you have been injured by this drug or any others, contact Phillips Law Group today. We understand the suffering you and your family are going through and want to do whatever we can to help you recover the damages owed to you.
Phillips Law Group is one of the largest consumer law groups in Arizona because we are fighters who never give up in the face of adversity, even when dealing with powerful pharmaceutical companies. Our team of experienced attorneys has helped clients claim over $1 billion in compensation over the years. This proves we have a winning record you can trust.
Call Phillips Law Group today at (602) 222-2222 for your free consultation. We are available 24/7 at your convenience.
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