Darvocet Lawsuits
Darvocet is a relatively weak painkiller, but it is highly addictive and has been associated with a large number of deaths. In February 2006, the consumer group Public Citizen filed a petition urging the FDA to remove Darvocet from the market because it carries dangerous side effects, and has limited benefits when compared to other available drugs. In June 2008, a Darvocet lawsuit was filed against the FDA because they had not yet acted on the petition.
STATUS OF DARVOCET LAWSUITS: Lawyers are reviewing the potential for legal claims on behalf of individuals who suffered an overdose, suicide or heart related death.
OVERVIEW: Darvocet (generic: propoxyphene with acetaminophen) is a relatively weak narcotic painkiller that is often prescribed after surgery or to manage pain. It contains the chemical propoxyphene, which is also sold under the brand name Darvon, and is available as a generic from several different pharmaceutical companies. In 2007, there were 22 million prescriptions for propoxyphene, making it one of the most widely prescribed generic drugs.
DARVOCET SIDE EFFECTS: Darvocet side effects have been linked to thousands of deaths and other serious injuries. According to data from the Federal Drug Abuse Warning Network, deaths related to Darvocet, Darvon and other generic propoxyphene drugs acccounted for over 5% of all drug related deaths between 1987 and 2006.
In Britain, health authorities required Darvocet to be phased off of the market in 2005. They cited hundreds of deaths associated with the drug, and limited benefits provided when compared to other available pain medications.
In Feburary 2006, the consumer watchdog group Public Citizen filed a petition with the FDA urging the U.S. drug regulators to remove Darvocet from the market. They cited thousands of accidental deaths since 1981, the fact that it is highly addictive and that it is no more effective than safer drugs like ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
According to Public Citizen, most of the Darvocet deaths occurred because of cardiac depression caused by the drug converting into a metabolite that is highly toxic to the heart. Side effects of Darvocet include interruption of heart transmission of electrical impulses, slowing heartbeats and decreasing ability for the heart to contract properly.
Darvocet also poses a substantial risk for the elderly, as it can increase the risk of falls and fractures due to side effects that can cause sedation and confusion.
Pingback by Public Citizen Urges FDA to Issue Darvon and Darvocet Recall — AboutLawsuits.com on 22 June 2008:
[...] agency violated the law by failing to act on a petition filed in 2006, which urged the removal of Darvocet, Davron and generic propoxyphene drugs from the market because they have been associated with over [...]
Pingback by Darvon Lawsuits — AboutLawsuits.com on 22 June 2008:
[...] pain. It may also be prescribed together with acetaminophen, or as the brand name drug Darvocet, which contains both propoxyphene and acetaminophen. It is one of the most widely prescribed [...]
Comment by Fern on 8 August 2008:
I have been taking darvocet for 2 years after back surgery. The neuro surgeon recommended I do that. Then all of a sudden I was getting chest pains on the left side of my chest. Now, I am a very healthy woman and seldom sick with anything. I had a bone graft in my jaw and I was told not to take anything except what the peridontist had given me. Then after my anti inflammatory was gone I took 1 darvocet and had pains in the left side of my chest into my left arm. I became suspicious and the next night I did not take any and did not have any pain. I looked it up on the internet and found the information that it can damage your heart. I hope I am not too late to save my heart.