A July 17 joint report filed before the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey indicates that the number of Benicar lawsuits included in multidistrict litigation (MDL) 2606 now stands at 205. This is a whopping 135 more than the 70 Benicar lawsuits reported at an MDL conference in June, and 190 more than the initial 15 federal cases centralized in March.
Benicar, pharmaceutical giant Daiichi Sankyo’s brand-name olmesartan, is one of the most popular blood pressure medications in the United States, with over 11 million unique prescriptions to date. Benicar is intended to lower blood pressure in patients with hypertension, but unfortunately for Benicar users, the drug may result in severe side effects. The worst of these is sprue-like enteropathy, a gastrointestinal condition that can lead to issues including chronic diarrhea, vomiting, and excessive weight loss. In 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a communication requiring that Benicar and other olmesartan-based blood pressure drugs carry a warning about intestinal health risks.
Benicar was approved by the FDA in 2002—meaning that more than a decade passed before Benicar users received any notification their prescription medication may be putting them at risk for gastrointestinal complications. Plaintiffs in Benicar lawsuits claim the Daiichi Sankyo released a potentially dangerous product without adequate research, endangering the lives of patients in the interest of profits.
Check with your doctor before starting or stopping any medication. If you or someone you know suffered from gastrointestinal problems after using Benicar, contact the pharmaceutical attorneys at Lopez McHugh today for a free legal consultation. We can help you determine whether a Benicar lawsuit is right for you.
