| Rezulin FAQs
What is Rezulin?
What is Type-2 diabetes?
Why is Rezulin a problem?
Why was Rezulin recalled?
How does Rezulin cause liver
damage?
When did Warner-Lambert first
learn of the Rezulin’s toxicity?
Are there other drugs similar
to Rezulin that I can take?
What should I do if I took
Rezulin?
Do I have any legal rights?
What kind of information does
my lawyer need from me?
What is Rezulin?
Rezulin is an oral medication. It is used in combination with insulin or sulfonylurea in patients with Type-2 diabetes (adult-onset diabetes mellitus) whose blood glucose levels are not adequately controlled by these other therapies alone. Rezulin, manufactured by Warner-Lambert, was approved in 1997.
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What is Type-2 diabetes?
It is a serious, life-threatening disease that affects 18 million Americans. It is a leading cause of coronary heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and limb amputation. Adequate control of blood sugar appears to be the most important means of preventing these complications.
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Why is Rezulin a problem?
Rezulin can cause serious liver damage (toxicity) that, in some cases, results in death. Symptoms of liver toxicity include: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, dark urine, jaundice, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Rezulin has also been linked to a thickening of the left ventricular wall of the heart, a condition that can ultimately lead to heart failure and death. There have been an estimated 430 Rezulin patients that suffered liver failure, including 391 deaths. It was found that a Rezulin patient's risk of liver failure is increased 1,200 times by taking the diabetes drug.
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Why was Rezulin recalled?
The FDA recalled Rezulin in March 2000 because it caused liver failure. Approximately 90 cases of liver failure were reported to the FDA, 63 of which resulted in death. Ten resulted in liver transplants. There were also some reports linking it to heart failure.
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How does Rezulin cause liver damage?
Through direct toxicity, which is a dose-related injury. It can also cause damage in people who are allergic to the drug. There has also been some evidence to suggest that damage occurred through a combination of these two factors.
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When did Warner-Lambert first learn of the Rezulin’s toxicity?
The company first knew of at least 12 people who had suffered potentially life-threatening liver damage during Rezulin's clinical trials in 1993. In the first 18 months Rezulin was on the market, there were 56 reports from FDA records showing heart failure.
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Are there other drugs similar to Rezulin that I can take?
There are two drugs, Actos and Avandia, which work the same way as Rezulin, but without the same side effects. The FDA recommends these two drugs for the treatment of Type-2 diabetes.
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What should I do if I took Rezulin?
If you took Rezulin to treat diabetes, you should consult your doctor immediately to discover if any damage occurred to your liver or heart. You may be entitled to monetary compensation.
Contact us at Youce & Vtipil to learn more about your legal rights.
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Do I have any legal rights?
If you have suffered because of the negligent practices that Warner-Lambert used to manufacture and market Rezulin,
contact the offices of Younce & Vtipil. You may be entitled to compensation for the damages and suffering that have resulted from taking the diabetes drug.
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What kind of information does my lawyer need from me?
You should supply any documents that might have a bearing on your case. Copies of medical reports from doctors and hospitals are extremely helpful. The more information you are able to give your lawyer, the easier it will be for him or her to determine if your claim will be successful.
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