On December 18, 2014, a motion was filed with the United States Judicial Panel on MultiDistrict Litigation (JPML) seeking consolidation and transfer of pending federal cases involving the pharmaceutical drug Benicar® (and other drugs containing the ingredient olmesartan).
There are currently more than a dozen Benicar® lawsuits filed in federal courts across the country.
The Motion seeks transfer of these cases to the Honorable Dan Aaron Polster of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio for pre-trial proceedings. Pending hearing by the JPML on this Motion, this matter has been designated as In Re: Benicar (and other olmesartan drugs) Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2606.
This litigation includes the following pharmaceutical drugs: Benicar®, Benicar HCT®, Tribenzor®, and Azor®.
These medications are prescribed for the treatment of high blood pressure and contain the ingredient olmesartan. Benicar®, Benicar HCT®, Tribenzor®, and Azor® are all brand name drugs which are manufactured by Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., a Japanese corporation.
Recent studies have shown that these prescription medications can cause alarming injuries among users, including, but not limited to, the following: dehydration, severe weight loss, chronic diarrhea, vomiting, and sprue-like enteropathy.
A 2012 study by the Mayo Clinic followed 22 patients who were taking drugs containing olmesartan and suffering from chronic diarrhea and weight loss, with most requiring hospitalization. All study participants showed significant improvement of their symptoms after they discontinued the use of drugs containing olmesartan.
The study concluded that olmesartan was directly linked to the patients’ alarming injuries.
In July of 2013, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued a Safety Announcement which warned of the link between the use of olmesartan and serious gastrointestinal side effects, such as chronic diarrhea and weight loss.
Drug injury lawyer Andrew Jones of Cory Watson Attorneys is currently investigating claims by individuals who suffered severe gastrointestinal side effects after taking Benicar®, Benicar HCT®, Tribenzor®, and Azor®.
Contact us today for a free case evaluation.