A recent class action was filed in New York against the companies responsible for distributing or selling drugs containing tainted valsartan. The lawsuit, brought by a woman and her husband, alleges negligence, fraud, and manufacturing a defective product, among other claims. It is expected that personal injury claims may soon follow.
In July 2018, the FDA issued a Press Release regarding the voluntary recall of several drugs containing the active ingredient valsartan, which is used to treat heart failure and/or high blood pressure. The recall was based on an impurity, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), found in certain drugs with valsartan, as NDMA is classified as a probable human carcinogen (a substance that could cause cancer) based on laboratory tests. It has been suggested that the contamination may have been ongoing since 2012.
Those individuals who were currently taking the effect valsartan, at the time of the recalls this past summer, should have received notification. It is important to note that not all drugs containing valsartan have been recalled; only those drugs containing NDMA. A full list can be found on the FDA’s website.
At this time, Stark & Stark is investigating the following possible valsartan injuries:
- Liver Cancer
- Liver Damage
- Colorectal Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Kidney Damage
- Gastric Cancer
