Parties in support of the recent motion to consolidate pretrial proceedings involving Benicar enteropathy lawsuits pending in the federal court system are disputing recent claims made by the drug maker that reports of enteropathy in Benicar users are rare. Benicar enteropathy lawsuit attorneys anticipate that a large number of complaints will be brought by individuals who have suffered from gastrointestinal complications such as chronic diarrhea as a result of taking Benicar.
If you have suffered from gastrointestinal complications after taking Benicar, contact Attorney Group for more information regarding Benicar Enteropathy lawsuits. You may be eligible to pursue a claim for compensation to recover medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost income from work, and other damages.
What is Benicar?
Benicar, sold generically as olmesartan, is a medication for treating high blood pressure by blocking a chemical in the body that causes blood vessels to narrow. By blocking this chemical, Benicar relaxes and widens blood vessels and allows blood to flow with less resistance. 2012 sales of the popular drug were just under $2.5 billion, according to reports. The drug is manufactured by Daiichi Sankyo and has been co-promoted by Forest Laboratories. Both companies are named as defendants in Benicar Eteropathy Lawsuits.
Why Benicar Enteropathy Lawsuits?
In 2012, a report on the suspected link between enteropathy and Benicar was published by the Mayo Clinic, which described cases similar to celiac disease among Benicar users. Physicians acknowledged that the conditions resolved when the blood pressure drug was no longer used. The Mayo Clinic study reported 22 patients suffering from gastrointestinal injuries allegedly brought on by Benicar use, and one of the study’s top authors reportedly believes these cases are the “tip of the iceberg.”
Following the Mayo Clinic Study, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required that the manufacturers update the warning label on Benicar in July 2013 to provide information to consumers and the medical community for the first time that Benicar patients could be at an increased risk of sprue-like enteropathy. According to the FDA warnings, there is clear evidence that users could suffer from weight loss, abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, and other symptoms, which could take months or even years to surface after the medication is started.
Status of Benicar Enteropathy Litigation
A motion is currently pending before the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation seeking to centralize all Benicar enteropathy lawsuits filed against the drug makers and consolidate the claims before one judge for pretrial handling and coordinated discovery.
The request was initially filed in late December 2014 by the attorneys for parties who claim that the manufacturers failed to adequately warn of the relationship between the medication and sprue-like enteropathy, a gastrointestinal disorder associated with malnutrition, weight loss, chronic diarrhea, and other complications that may not surface for months or years after starting the blood pressure medication. According to reports, the association between Benicar and GI problems has been only recently discovered.
Questions about a Benicar Enteropathy lawsuit? We Can Help.
If you suffered from chronic diarrhea or other gastrointestinal complications during or following your use of Benicar you wish to learn more about pursuing a claim for compensation, contact Attorney Group for a comprehensive case evaluation at no out-of-pocket cost to you. We can help you determine if you are eligible to recover damages for your injuries. If you have a case, we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can file a Benicar enteropathy lawsuit on your behalf and help you to seek the compensation to which you may be entitled. Call today.
