Duract

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Duract was first introduced in July 1997. Almost immediately from its introduction, 2.5 million prescriptions were dispensed. Seven months after Duract's market launch, however, numerous cases of severe liver damage were reported. Most reports came from users who took the drug for more than 10 days. Click on Liver Damage: Duract, to learn more about this issue.

In February 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) imposed the implementation of label changes to the Duract label. The FDA instructed that Duract's manufacturer,Wyeth-Ayerst, clarify that the drug was to be used for 10 days or less. In response to FDA instructions, Wyeth-Ayerst directed of the drug's label that Duract be used for "generally less than 10 days" in fine print on the 135th line.

By June 1998, Wyeth-Ayerst, a division of American Home Products (AHP), announced the recall of Duract because of post-marketing reports of severe liver failure. During its short time on the market, Duract generated revenues of $89.7 million. At the time of the recall, the drug was attributed to four deaths and eight liver transplants. The majority of the resulting deaths occurred in patients who had taken the drug for more than 10 days. By late 1998, the FDA had received voluntary reports of 68 deaths associated with Duract. Seventeen of these deaths involved liver failure. In March 2001, a Texas court approved nationwide class action of Duract users who have not yet shown signs of the liver damage.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury as a result of taking any drug or supplement, call The Law Offices of Chuck Ervin now at 916-447-4357 or CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A SIMPLE CASE FORM. The initial consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to accept your case, we will work on a contingent fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary award or recovery of funds. Don’t delay! You may have a valid claim and be entitled to compensation for your injuries, but a lawsuit must be filed before the statute of limitations expires.