Baycol Claims Settled >
Baycol Class Action
Baycol:
Baycol Class Action
Baycol Class
Action: In 2003, there have been a number of Baycol claims settled
in the U.S. - These settlements have been involving injuries related
to a condition called rhabdomyolysis, which the patients developed
after taking the drug.
Questions and
Answers about Baycol - U.S. Food and Drug Administration Website
1. What should
I do if I am taking Baycol?
If you are taking
Baycol, contact your physician to discuss alternative medications.
If you are taking Baycol and experience muscle pain, discontinue Baycol
immediately and contact your physician for further advice.
2. What should
I do if I am taking Baycol and gemfibrozil (Lopid)?
If you are taking
Baycol and gemfibrozil (LOPID), discontinue the Baycol immediately
and contact your physician for further advice.
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3. What is rhabdomyolysis?
Rhabdomyolysis
is a very rare condition where serious muscle damage results in release
of muscle cell contents into the bloodstream. On very rare instances,
rhabdomyolysis may result in kidney damage and other organ damage
which may be fatal.
4. How do I know if I am having this serious reaction (rhabdomyolysis)
to Baycol?
Patients who develop
rhabdomyolysis often have muscle aches involving their calves, back,
or their entire body. The pain may be accompanied by weakness, fever,
nausea, vomiting, and passing of dark urine.
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5. What should
I do if I think I’m having this reaction (rhabdomyolysis) to
Baycol?
Stop the drug
immediately and call your physician
6. What is Baycol
used for?
Baycol is a cholesterol-lowering
drug belonging to a class of drugs known as “statins”. It
is prescribed to reduce your cholesterol and to reduce your risk of
heart disease.
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7. Will I have
any problems if I stop Baycol?
If you were prescribed
Baycol to lower your cholesterol, these levels may go back to where
they were before you received the drug. These changes will not occur
immediately but will most likely occur over a couple of days to weeks.
If you stop Baycol, be sure to consult your physician to discuss alternative
therapies for lowering your cholesterol.
8. Are there any
alternatives to Baycol?
There are five
(5) other drugs in the same class (statins) available in the U.S.
market. They are atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin
(Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), and simvastatin (Zocor). There
are also other drugs approved for lowering cholesterol that are not
statin drugs. You should consult you physician to determine which
treatment is right for you.
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9. Do the other
statins have the same safety concerns as Baycol?
All statins have
been associated with very rare reports of rhabdomyolysis. These rare
cases can occur when the drugs are used alone or in combination with
another lipid-lowering drug such as gemfibrozil. However, cases of
fatal rhabdomyolysis in association with Baycol use have been reported
more frequently than other approved statins.
Following is an
Associated Press article from March 10, 2004:
Bayer
Reaches Deal On Cholesterol Drug
03/10/04 - German
drug maker Bayer AG has reached an agreement with most of its insurers
on coverage of around $1.2 billion for litigation related to the
2001 withdrawal of a cholesterol-lowering drug.
In a statement
Tuesday night, Bayer also said it had put aside 300 million euros
($369 million) in its 2003 fiscal year to cover additional settlements
and defense costs. The insurers "had previously proceeded only
on a provisional basis," the company said.
Bayer pulled
Lipobay, marketed as Baycol in the United States, in August 2001
after it was linked to a rare muscle-wasting syndrome and about
100 patient deaths.
On Tuesday,
the Leverkusen-based company said it has now reached 2,224 cases
related to the drug, paying out $842 million without admitting liability.
Another 9,948
cases were pending in the United States as of March 5, Bayer said.
"Where
facts have been developed in the course of the litigation, it so
far appears that the vast majority of plaintiffs did not suffer
serious side-effects," its statement said.
If you have an
interest in the Baycol class action cases, it is much to your
advantage to contact an attorney who advertises having experience
and knowledge in Baycol litigation. The circumstances of each person's
use of the drug will differ, and will determine the course of action
particular to the individual case. There are various lawyers devoted
to these cases and most offer services on a no-win no-fee basis. This
is an important factor to ascertain when contacting a Baycol lawyer.
