Digitek Recall Alert!
On April 28, 2008, Actavis Totowa, LLC announced that it is recalling all lots of the prescription drug Digitek, used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms, because some of the drug's tablets might contain twice the approved level of the active ingredient. This is a class 1 recall, which means that it is for dangerous or defective products that predictably could cause serious health problems or death.
The drug was distributed by Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. under a "Bertek" label and by UDL Laboratories, Inc. under a "UDL" label. The recall is due to the potential for Digitalis toxicity. Digitalis toxicity can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, cardiac instability and bradycardia and death. Digoxin is used to make the heart to beat stronger and with more regularity. However, when the amount of digoxin ingested is doubled, Digitek can cause a risk of digitalis toxicity in patients being treated for renal (kidney) failure. In renal patients a Digitek over dose can be fatal, because patients with impaired renal function may not be able to excrete digitalis from their bodies, causing a toxic buildup in the system.
Bizarrely, Charles Cullen, a nurse, claims to have used Digoxin to kill 45 patients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the '80s and '90s. The active ingredient, digitalis, comes from the foxglove plant (digitalis purpurea). All parts of the plant can be poisonous when ingested by people or animals.
A Digitek overdose can result in low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, cardiac instability, dizziness, and bradycardia. Bradycardia is a slower than normal heartbeat rate. Vision changes such as halos or light rings around objects, seeing lights and bright colors, experiencing changes in color perception, blind spots in vision, and blurred vision can also occur. Patients can also experience decreased urine output and excessive nighttime urination, overall swelling, decreased consciousness, and difficulty breathing when lying down.
While in cases of death or serious injury, an individual lawsuit is almost always in the best interests of our clients, for individuals who have less serious injuries or damages, we are presently working on a class action lawsuit intended to cover these clients, with the aim of reducing the time, expense and trouble incurred by patients and their loved ones who have been injured by a Digitek overdose, but have not suffered a fatal or very serious reaction. Our firm has substantial experience representing consumers in mass actions and class action lawsuits. One of the benefits of a class action is that the absent class members are not required to directly participate in the lawsuit and have no personal potential liability for attorneys fees or costs. For many people, this represents a very important consideration, and we recommend this approach to clients who would prefer to avoid direct participation in a lawsuit.
In light of the recall, some physicians have prescribed Lanoxin rather than Digitek. Lanoxin has the same active ingredient as Digitek (Digoxin) but is made by a different manufacturer.
To download a copy of the Digitek Recall Notice, Click Here.
What Will We Do For Our Digitek Clients?
Our firm is handling the Digitek cases on a contingency fee basis in which we are not paid a fee unless we are able to recover for our clients. We advance the expenses of the case and if we are successful, we are reimbursed these expenses from the recovery, but if there is no recovery, our client is not required to pay us for the expenses we incurred.* In a typical case, after we have been retained, we will gather the information and documents pertaining to the patient, including medical records and pharmacy records. After all of the necessary information and documents have been obtained, they will be submitted to a qualified professional for review, with the objective being to ascertain whether or not it is likely that illness or injury was caused by the tainted Digitek lots that are the subject of the recall. This part of our work up is essentially necessary due diligence to make sure that probably cause exists to file a lawsuit. If we find that probable cause does exist, we will commence a legal action in an appropriate Court. After the lawsuit is filed, the summons and complaint will be served on the Defendants. The next phase of the case involves what is called "discovery." Discovery is the legal process by which the parties to a lawsuit obtain information and documents. Discovery includes the use of subpoenas to obtain documents and testimony, the taking of depositions before a Court Reporter, and service of written requests for information and documents, known as interrogatories, requests for admissions, and inspection demands. During this process it is always possible that the Defendants will seek to settle the case, but if the case does not settle, after discovery is complete, trial preparation will commence. Trial preparation including tasks such as interviewing of witnesses, the retention of expert witnesses, the creation of exhibits for trial, and mapping of trial strategy. In very high percentage of cases, a settlement will be reached prior to the start of trial, but if there is no settlement, Mr. Karen will be a trial lawyer on the case.
*Some states, such as Arizona, prohibit an attorney from advancing the costs of a lawsuit. The practice is permitted in California and in most other states.
If you think you or someone you love may have been harmed by taking Digitek, please call us at 1-800-306-6010 or contact us online.
The drug was distributed by Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. under a "Bertek" label and by UDL Laboratories, Inc. under a "UDL" label. The recall is due to the potential for Digitalis toxicity. Digitalis toxicity can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, cardiac instability and bradycardia and death. Digoxin is used to make the heart to beat stronger and with more regularity. However, when the amount of digoxin ingested is doubled, Digitek can cause a risk of digitalis toxicity in patients being treated for renal (kidney) failure. In renal patients a Digitek over dose can be fatal, because patients with impaired renal function may not be able to excrete digitalis from their bodies, causing a toxic buildup in the system.
Bizarrely, Charles Cullen, a nurse, claims to have used Digoxin to kill 45 patients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the '80s and '90s. The active ingredient, digitalis, comes from the foxglove plant (digitalis purpurea). All parts of the plant can be poisonous when ingested by people or animals.
Digitek is made from the Foxglove plant
A Digitek overdose can result in low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, cardiac instability, dizziness, and bradycardia. Bradycardia is a slower than normal heartbeat rate. Vision changes such as halos or light rings around objects, seeing lights and bright colors, experiencing changes in color perception, blind spots in vision, and blurred vision can also occur. Patients can also experience decreased urine output and excessive nighttime urination, overall swelling, decreased consciousness, and difficulty breathing when lying down.
While in cases of death or serious injury, an individual lawsuit is almost always in the best interests of our clients, for individuals who have less serious injuries or damages, we are presently working on a class action lawsuit intended to cover these clients, with the aim of reducing the time, expense and trouble incurred by patients and their loved ones who have been injured by a Digitek overdose, but have not suffered a fatal or very serious reaction. Our firm has substantial experience representing consumers in mass actions and class action lawsuits. One of the benefits of a class action is that the absent class members are not required to directly participate in the lawsuit and have no personal potential liability for attorneys fees or costs. For many people, this represents a very important consideration, and we recommend this approach to clients who would prefer to avoid direct participation in a lawsuit.
In light of the recall, some physicians have prescribed Lanoxin rather than Digitek. Lanoxin has the same active ingredient as Digitek (Digoxin) but is made by a different manufacturer.
To download a copy of the Digitek Recall Notice, Click Here.
What Will We Do For Our Digitek Clients?
Our firm is handling the Digitek cases on a contingency fee basis in which we are not paid a fee unless we are able to recover for our clients. We advance the expenses of the case and if we are successful, we are reimbursed these expenses from the recovery, but if there is no recovery, our client is not required to pay us for the expenses we incurred.* In a typical case, after we have been retained, we will gather the information and documents pertaining to the patient, including medical records and pharmacy records. After all of the necessary information and documents have been obtained, they will be submitted to a qualified professional for review, with the objective being to ascertain whether or not it is likely that illness or injury was caused by the tainted Digitek lots that are the subject of the recall. This part of our work up is essentially necessary due diligence to make sure that probably cause exists to file a lawsuit. If we find that probable cause does exist, we will commence a legal action in an appropriate Court. After the lawsuit is filed, the summons and complaint will be served on the Defendants. The next phase of the case involves what is called "discovery." Discovery is the legal process by which the parties to a lawsuit obtain information and documents. Discovery includes the use of subpoenas to obtain documents and testimony, the taking of depositions before a Court Reporter, and service of written requests for information and documents, known as interrogatories, requests for admissions, and inspection demands. During this process it is always possible that the Defendants will seek to settle the case, but if the case does not settle, after discovery is complete, trial preparation will commence. Trial preparation including tasks such as interviewing of witnesses, the retention of expert witnesses, the creation of exhibits for trial, and mapping of trial strategy. In very high percentage of cases, a settlement will be reached prior to the start of trial, but if there is no settlement, Mr. Karen will be a trial lawyer on the case.
*Some states, such as Arizona, prohibit an attorney from advancing the costs of a lawsuit. The practice is permitted in California and in most other states.
If you think you or someone you love may have been harmed by taking Digitek, please call us at 1-800-306-6010 or contact us online.
