Tasigna Linked to Atherosclerosis and Peripheral Artery Disease

Tasigna lawsuits site Canadian atherosclerosis warning

Monday, October 30, 2017 - The drugmaker Novartis is facing products liability litigation for its cancer drug Tasigna. Used globally to treat leukemia, Tasigna has been linked to incidents of rapid-onset atherosclerosis and other serious heart problems. Plaintiffs in Tasiga atherosclerosis lawsuits allege the drug company has known about the risk of heart problems from Tasigna since at least 2011, yet withheld the risk information from the American public.

Tasigna, a cancer drug which is in wide use globally, is used to treat leukemia by inhibiting cancer cell growth. It falls within a class of drugs identified as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which halt the growth of cancer cells by blocking the protein tyrosine kinase. Tasigna, or nilotnib, was first approved by the FDA in 2007 to treat patients suffering from Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Tasigna Side Effects

Tasigna side effects range from minor to life-threatening. Minor side effects, many of which are common side effects of cancer treatments, include headache, nausea, diarrhea, cough, itching, vomiting, fever, night sweats, pale skin, runny or stuffy nose, constipation, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue. Widely known, these side effects are generally accepted as worthwhile because the drug has been proven effective at treating certain forms of cancer.

Powerful cancer drugs generally come with more serious potential side effects as well. The drug‘s warning label cautions patients and doctors of the risk of serious Tasigna side effects including pancreas inflammation; brain bleeds; Tumor Lysis Syndrome; a decrease in blood flow to leg, heart or brain; low blood count causing bleeding, blood in the urine, and weakness; and QT prolongation resulting in sudden death. When a doctor chooses to prescribe Tasigna, this warning information is available to patients who can then make an informed decision about whether to accept the treatment. In many cases, patients must choose to accept the chance of life-threatening side effects in order to treat a disease that would otherwise be terminal.

Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuits

Incidents of atherosclerosis have been documented in patients taking Tasigna since a study finding released in 2011 detected vascular problems from Tasigna. Rapid onset atherosclerosis from Tasigna, which is a hardening and narrowing of the arteries, compromises blood flow throughout the body. A lack of ample blood flow can result in serious Tasigna health problems and death. Patients in the United States, unaware of the risk of artery problems and atherosclerosis from Tasigna, have not been able to make an informed decision about whether to accept the risk. It is this particular point that is at the root of Tasigna atherosclerosis lawsuits.

Following the release of research linking Tasigna to atherosclerosis and related side effects, the Canadian health service, Health Canada, issued a warning in conjunction with Novartis in 2013. Why such a warning was never extended to the American medical community must be left to conjecture. During 2016, Tasigna sales topped $1.7 billion worldwide.

Tasigna Lawyers for Atherolsclerosis Claims

Persons and the family members of persons who suffered from Tasigna atherosclerosis, peripheral arterial disease or related artery problems while taking Tasigna may be eligible for compensation by filing a Tasigna lawsuit. Our Tasigna atherosclerosis attorneys are offering free, no-obligation Tasigna atherosclerosis case review; contact our firm to speak with an experienced attorney handling Tasigna lawsuits nationwide.

Information Provided by The Onder Law Firm

The Onder Law Firm is a St. Louis personal injury law firm handling serious injury and death claims across the country. Its mission is the pursuit of justice, no matter how complex the case or strenuous the effort. Onder, Shelton, O‘Leary & Peterson has represented clients throughout the United States in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation such as Pradaxa, Lexapro and Yasmin/Yaz, where the firm‘s attorneys held significant leadership roles in the litigation, as well as Actos, DePuy, Risperdal and others. The firm has represented thousands of persons in these and other products liability litigation, including DePuy hip replacement systems, which settled for $2.5 billion and Pradaxa internal bleeding, which settled for $650 million. The Onder Law Firm has won more than $300 million in four talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits in St. Louis. Law firms throughout the nation often seek its experience and expertise on complex litigation.