New York City Uloric Lawsuit Attorney

Uloric is a prescription medication for treating gout. It works by lowering the amount of uric acid in the patient’s bloodstream, helping to decrease uric-acid related arthritis. Too much uric acid can leave deposits in the joints, causing a unique type of arthritis called gout. Gout can be a very painful and debilitating condition. Unfortunately, Uloric may contain dangerous defects that could put patients in jeopardy. If you have experienced adverse outcomes after taking Uloric, contact our New York City Uloric lawsuit attorneys for a free legal evaluation. You may be eligible for compensation.

Why Choose Our Firm?

• Our firm has a history of success, with a long list of case results that prove our capabilities. We have secured over $2 billion in compensation for clients in the past 10 years.
• Our firm has the resources and experience to accept even the most complicated product liability cases. We have successfully resolved many high-profile personal injury cases, including the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.
• Our firm handles all cases on a contingency fee basis. We can represent your Uloric injury lawsuit at no charge upfront. You will only pay attorney’s fees if we secure you financial compensation.

Do You Need a New York City Uloric Lawsuit Attorney?

Going up against a drug manufacturer during an Uloric lawsuit can set you up for failure if you do not have an attorney representing your best interests. Insurance companies often try to take advantage of claimants by offering them less than the true values of their claims – or offering no settlement at all. A lawyer will make sure an insurance companies treats your claim fairly. A lawyer will also give you the power to take the defendant to court, if necessary.

What Are the Dangers of Taking Uloric?

Uloric has had deadly side effects for some patients, which prompted the FDA to order the drug’s manufacturer Takeda Pharmaceuticals to perform a large post-market study on the medication after its 2009 approval. Known as the CARES trial, the study involved 6,000 people who were either taking Uloric or its competitor, allopurinol. The purpose of the trial was to assess the potential health risks related to Uloric.

After preliminary CARES trial results were sent to the FDA, an immediate drug safety notice regarding Uloric was issued in November of 2017. The drug safety communication stated that Uloric caused increased rates of heart-related problems and fatalities, according to the preliminary study results.

A comprehensive review of the clinical study results began in August 2018, which led to the FDA issuing a Black Box Warning for Uloric in 2019– the most serious type of safety warning for medications. During their assessment, the FDA found evidence that Uloric increased the risk of death in patients compared to allopurinol, the other most commonly prescribed drug to treat gout.

Patients taking Uloric have complained of severe side effects such as chest pain, trouble breathing, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, slurred speech, severe headaches, and numbness or weakness in one side of the body. Reports have connected Uloric with serious patients outcomes such as heart attack, stroke, and death.

The FDA concluded the following based on the CARES trial:

• 15 patients died from a heart-related complication, for every 1,000 patients treated with Uloric for one year; and
• 26 died from other non-heart-related causes, for every 1,000 patients treated with Uloric for one year.

In addition to the FDA’s efforts to ensure the medication contains a label explicitly warning patients regarding potential health risks, Uloric’s consumption is also being limited. Patients are now only prescribed Uloric after an alternative medication has been taken and it has either failed to yield positive results or it has generated negative side effects.

Whistleblower Lawsuit Against Takeda Pharmaceuticals

A former safety consultant for Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Helen Ge, filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the Uloric manufacturer in 2010. The lawsuit was filled with allegations that Takeda had violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by failing to comply with certain U.S. Food and Drug Administration labeling and adverse event reporting requirements.

Specifically, the suit claimed that:

• Takeda did not report information regarding Uloric’s possible serious side effects, such as liver problems, kidney damage, and bone marrow failure.
• The company failed in their duty to warn consumers of known dangerous and possibly fatal drug interactions.
• Documents sent to the FDA were altered in order to make the cardiac side effects of the drug appear to be less severe than in reality.
• Takeda made fraudulent claims for government reimbursement for Uloric under government health care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. This was based on the fact that Uloric costs 5 dollars per day, whereas the alternative medication allopurinol costs only 10 cents per day.

Due to procedural flaws in the complaint, the lawsuit was eventually dismissed. However, there are currently thousands of people across the U.S. that are reporting the use of Uloric either contributed to or caused them injury. Takeda will most likely be facing hundreds, if not thousands of Uloric lawsuits over the next few years.

What to Do About Serious Uloric Side Effects

Serious Uloric side effects can present themselves in various forms. Seek medical care at the first sign of exhibiting any of the following symptoms:

• Pain in chest.
• Shortness of breath or difficulty in catching your breath.
• Abnormal heartbeat or rapid pulse.
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body or facial drooping.
• Difficulty forming words and sentences or slurred speech.
• Dizziness and loss of balance.
• Sudden onset of a severe headache.

If you or someone you love has experienced dangerous side effects after taking Uloric, contact a New York City Uloric lawsuit attorney as soon as possible. Gather all information and documentation related to your side effects, such as medical records and bills. The manufacturer of Uloric, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, could be liable for your damages.

Contact Us

A successful Uloric lawsuit could provide the compensation you and your family need to move forward after suffering major health complications from Uloric. A claim against drug manufacturer could provide justice, closure, and future financial stability. Discuss your potential right to a claim today with our NYC personal injury lawyers. Call (212) 732-9000 or request a consultation online.