Femara Lawsuit
A Brief Guide to Filing a Femara Lawsuit
What is Femara?
Femara, which utilizes Letrozole, is used to treat early breast cancer in women who have gone through menopause and other cancer treatments, such as surgery or radiation. Novartis, the drug’s manufacturer, initially sold Femara as a back-up plan of sorts; the drug was to be taken to treat breast cancer if the patient didn’t respond to Tamoxifen—the top hormonal treatment for estrogen tumors.
Femara belongs to a class of medicaitons known as non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors; the drug is effective by decreasing the amount of estrogen in the body—this dissipation ultimately slows or stops the growth of certain breast cancer cells that require estrogen to grow.
Although the drug was initially designed to treat breast cancer, a number of users administer Femara to bolster fertility. This alternate use is the basis for the majority of Femara lawsuits.
Femara Side Effects:
Initial reports concerning Femara side effects focused heavily on the potential birth defects imposed by the drug. As stated above, these effects and the alternative use, form the foundation of most Femara lawsuits. The following information provides a background for the bulk of Femara lawsuits:
In 2005, a Canadian study examined 150 babies and concluded children conceived under Femara were three times more likely to suffer from birth defects. However, a 2006 study which examined 911 infants concluded Femara side effects relating to birth defects were less likely to occur than in women using Clomid to spark fertilization.
In 2011, the company sent out a notice warning that the drug has been linked to 13 cases of birth defects. However, no noteworthy Femara lawsuit has been brought forth on behalf of women who experienced birth defects. Prescription medication warns of the risk of these kinds of Femara side effects. At this time, the FDA is not conducting a review of the drug's safety.
More widely confirmed Femara side effects include significant risk of developing osteoporosis or lowered bone mineral density, especially in patients undergoing a prolonged course of treatment. Because physicians are instructed to monitor patients for development of such Femara side effects; however, it may not be possible to advance a Femara lawsuit if you develop these conditions.
Patients should also be aware that there is a possibility of an increase in their cholesterol level as a result of treatment. Physicians should consider performing regular cholesterol monitoring to prevent such Femara side effects. Otherwise, commonly reported responses include hot flashes and dizziness. While prolonged manifestation of these adverse reactions should be reported to a doctor, they cannot form the foundation for a Femara lawsuit.
The links between treatment and damage to patients is still misunderstood. Anecdotal reports of Femara side effects resulting in infertility have yet to be validated by legitimate studies. At present, it is unclear that a Femara lawsuit could be pursued with a reasonable expectation of success. In the absence of frequent reports of serious Femara side effects, the FDA is not investigating nor considering a recall.
Should you experience severe Femara side effects and find yourself considering a Femara lawsuit, it is important to understand that there are no precedents for your case. The drug has never been recalled or deemed unsafe. The only plausible scenario for a Femara lawsuit at the present could occur if tainted or improperly manufactured medication was consumed by someone. In the event that adverse effects occurred, the manufacturer could be held responsible for negligence. A Femara lawsuit of this kind must be launched as soon evidence of improperly manufactured medication becomes evident to avoid exceeding your state's statute of limitations.
Sources:
1. United States National Library of Medicine “Letrozole” retrieved from:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001021/
2. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2007/020726s014lbl.pdf
3. http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/ucm175799.htm
4. FDA News Release retrieved from:
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm199374.html
