PHILADELPHIA (December 2015) – The national trial lawyers of Lopez McHugh have filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary, Janssen, alleging that its diabetes medication, Invokana®, causes patients to develop diabetic ketoacidosis.
The lawsuit (Case No. 15-12-00653) was filed in the Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County, and includes allegations that the manufacturers of Invokana knew that the drug could cause diabetic ketoacidosis but failed to warn doctors.
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a condition where the body produces ketones, which build up as acid in the bloodstream. Patients often are hospitalized for the condition, which can lead to organ damage, coma, brain swelling, and death.
Invokana is approved to lower blood sugar in Type 2 diabetics, but it also is prescribed to Type 1 diabetics. It is a member of a new class of drugs, known as SGLT2 inhibitors.
On Dec. 4, 2015, the FDA issued a Drug Safety Communication requiring manufacturers of SGLT2 inhibitors to warn about the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis. The FDA also warned about an increased incidence of life-threatening blood infections (known as urosepsis) and kidney infections (called pyelonephritis).
The FDA warned patients and doctors to monitor for symptoms of ketoacidosis, including difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, confusion, and unusual fatigue or sleepiness. The drug safety agency also noted that Invokana may induce ketoacidosis without increasing blood sugar, which can cause a delay in diagnosis because high blood sugar is typically one of ways that doctors diagnosis ketoacidosis.
The defective drug attorneys of Lopez McHugh have compiled resources to assist those who believe they may have been injured through use of the prescription medication Invokana. For more information, please visit the firm’s web page.
About Lopez McHugh, LLP: For more than 30 years, the attorneys at the nationally-recognized plaintiffs’ law firm of Lopez McHugh have been obtaining justice for their clients. Battling defendants who take advantage of consumers such as pharmaceutical giants, nursing homes and medical professionals, auto manufacturers, and the manufacturers of defective medical devices.
Contact:
Carrie R. Capouellez, Esquire
1123 Admiral Peary Way, Quarters K
Philadelphia, PA 19112
Telephone: (215) 952-6910
Facsimile: (215) 952-6914
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