Benicar Class Action Lawsuit
Benicar FDA Warning, Action or Recall: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued safety warnings to patients and healthcare providers that Benicar can cause severe intestinal disorders with a form of spruelike enteropathy. FDA actions also required label changes to include the symptoms of this rare but serious gastrointestinal disease.
The personal injury attorneys at Todd E. Copeland & Associates have been carefully following the lawsuits and possibilities of mass tort litigation against Benicar for gastrointestinal injuries and spruelike enteropathy in patients who have been prescribed the drug. Our attorneys suspect that patients may be able to take legal action in light of claims that Daiichi Sankyo failed to adequately warn healthcare providers and patients about the risk of serious gastrointestinal conditions. If you were diagnosed with chronic diarrhea and severe weight loss after taking Benicar, you should contact us immediately for a free consultation.
What is Benicar Prescribed to Treat?
Benicar is an orally administered drug used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Manufactured by Daiichi Sankyo, a Japanese pharmaceutical company, the drug is rapidly metabolized to its active component in the gastrointestinal mucosa, portal blood and liver. Healthcare providers first noticed severe gastrointestinal symptoms that are typically associated with Celiac Disease, an immune-mediated sensitivity to gluten. Substantial weight loss, chronic diarrhea and inflammation in the small intestines have been known to develop months to years after prescribing Benicar therapy.
Symptoms and Side Effects
The FDA's warnings have led medical researchers to suggest that the number of Benicar patients who develop severe inflammation of the small intestine, chronic diarrhea and weight loss will likely increase in the future. Symptoms and side effects of sprue-like enteropathy related to Benicar include:
- Severe Chronic Diarrhea
- Substantial Weight Loss
- Presence of Excess Fat in Feces
- Evidence of Villous Atrophy
- Thick Band of Collagen Deposits
- Negative Endomysial Antibodies
The Mayo Clinic was the first to report damage to the intestinal villi related to the use of Benicar in patients being treated for high blood pressure. The limited study concluded that the long delay between the onset of treatment and the development of chronic diarrhea and inflammation of the small intestine suggests cell-mediated immunity damage rather than Type 1 hypersensitivity to the medication.
If you or a loved one suffered from chronic diarrhea or substantial weight loss after being prescribed Benicar, only a qualified personal injury attorney can determine whether you are eligible to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for damages. However, in light of recent claims that Daiichi Sankyo many have failed to adequately warn doctors and patients about the risk of sprue-like enteropathy, you may be able to take or join legal actions against the drug's manufacturer. Contact our law firm at (407) 999-8995 or toll free at (888) 999-9149 to learn more.
