Fentanyl Lawsuit

FENTANYL LAWSUIT AND LAW FIRM: Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. has a national product liability practice, and attorneys at the firm have been interviewed by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Lawyers USA, numerous TV stations and others. In recognition of their accomplishments, Fred Pritzker, Elliot Olsen and Eric Hageman have been named "Super Lawyers" by Law & Politics magazine. To contact the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's free case consultation form.

Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. Investigates Fentanyl Pain Patch Cases – Read More Information About Fentanyl Pain Patch Cases

We represent families of loved ones killed by the Fentanyl Pain Patch.

These Fentanyl pain patch medication delivery systems are manufactured by a number of companies including Janssen Pharmaceutica Products and Alza Corporation, producers of the Duragesic patch. These patches deliver controlled does of the powerful opioid pain medication called Fentanyl. Other companies producing fentanyl pain patches include PriCara, Mylan, Actavis, Watson and a Johnson & Johnson generic brand called Sandoz.

There have been a number of recalls over the years involving these products. One such recall occurred in February 2008 involving fentanyl patches manufactured by Actavis Inc. The recall is described in the firm’s press release published on the United States Food and Drug Authority website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Morristown, NJ -- February 17, 2008 -- Actavis Inc., the United States manufacturing and marketing division of the international generic pharmaceutical company Actavis Group hf, today announced that 14 lots of Fentanyl transdermal system CII patches sold in the United States by Actavis' subsidiary Actavis South Atlantic LLC are being voluntarily recalled from wholesalers and pharmacies as a precaution.

The recalled patches were manufactured by Corium International Inc., a contract manufacturer for Actavis, and sold nationwide in the United States by Actavis South Atlantic LLC.

Fentanyl patches sold by Actavis in Europe are not affected by this recall.

The 14 lots of Fentanyl transdermal system patches being recalled may have a fold-over defect which may cause the patch to leak and expose patients or caregivers directly to the fentanyl gel. Although unaware of any injuries resulting from this issue Actavis, as a precaution, is recalling these lots. As per the approved product labelling for Fentanyl transdermal system, fentanyl is a potent Schedule II opioid medication. Fentanyl patches that are leaking or damaged in any way should not be used. Exposure to fentanyl gel may lead to serious adverse events, including respiratory depression and possible overdose, which may be fatal. Anyone who comes in contact with fentanyl gel should thoroughly rinse exposed skin with large amounts of water only; do not use soap. Immediately dispose of affected patches that may be damaged or compromised in any way by flushing them down the toilet, using caution not to handle them directly. Damaged and/or compromised patches that have leaked gel will not provide effective pain relief.

The week before this recall, there was another recall involving fentanyl patches manufactured by PriCara, a Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc and sold by PriCara and Sandoz Inc. involving all lots of 25-μg/hour fentanyl transdermal systems because of a cut along one side of the drug reservoir, which could also potentially expose patients and/or caregivers to fentanyl gel. The recall is also described in the firm’s press release published on the United States Food and Drug Authority website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Raritan, NJ – February 12, 2008 – PriCara, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. said today that all lots of 25 microgram/hour (mcg/hr) DURAGESIC® (fentanyl transdermal system) CII patches sold by PriCara in the United States and all 25 mcg/hr fentanyl patches sold by Sandoz Inc. in the United States are being voluntarily recalled as a precaution from wholesalers and pharmacies. The recalled patches all have expiration dates on or before December 2009, and all are manufactured by ALZA Corporation, an affiliate of PriCara. The recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All 25 mcg/hr fentanyl patches manufactured by ALZA and sold in Canada also are being recalled.

DURAGESIC 25 mcg/hr (fentanyl transdermal system) and Sandoz Inc. 25 mcg/hr fentanyl transdermal system patches being recalled may have a cut along one side of the drug reservoir within the patch. The result is possible release of fentanyl gel from the gel reservoir into the pouch in which the patch is packaged, exposing patients or caregivers directly to fentanyl gel. As per the approved product labeling for DURAGESIC, fentanyl is a potent Schedule II opioid medication. Fentanyl patches that are cut or damaged in any way should not be used. Exposure to fentanyl gel may lead to serious adverse events, including respiratory depression and possible overdose, which may be fatal. Anyone who comes in contact with fentanyl gel should thoroughly rinse exposed skin with large amounts of water only; do not use soap. Immediately dispose of affected patches with cut edges by flushing them down the toilet, using caution not to handle them directly. Patches with a cut edge that have leaked gel will not provide effective pain relief.

As a result of defects in the design and manufacture of these fentanyl pain patch drug delivery systems, high levels of this very potent pain medication can enter the blood steam without the knowledge of the pain patch wearer resulting in respiratory depression and a potentially fatal overdose.

The FDA has received hundreds of reports of fatalities associated with fentanyl patches.

The law firm of Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. & Associates, P.A. is actively investigating these fentanyl claims from both a strict liability and negligence standpoint. Claims include product liability (defective design, manufacture and failure to warn) and negligent failure to test and inspect and negligence in warnings and instructions.

The cases we are investigating have the following five common features:

Wrongful death
Lethal level of fentanyl from post-mortem blood draw
No evidence of misuse or abuse of the fentanyl pain patch
No presence of non-prescribed drugs in the blood (non-lethal dose of prescribed medication is acceptable)
No presence of alcohol in the blood

If a loved one or close friend died from a fentanyl overdose and the other factors described above are present, you need to contact us as soon as possible for a free consultation. Call us toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or email us at fhp@pritzkerlaw.com.

Key Words: Fentanyl lawsuit, wrongful death, class action lawsuit, Fentanyl suit, Janssen Pharmaceutica Products, Alza Corporation, PriCara, Mylan, Actavis, Watson, Johnson & Johnson, Sandoz, and fentanyl pain patch.

Free Case Consultation

Firm News

Fred Pritzker Listed in The Best Lawyers in America

Fred Pritzker has been notified that he will again be listed in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in personal injury litigation.

Attorney Elliot Olsen Speaks at Conference

Attorney Elliot Olsen recently spoke at the Seventh Annual LifeScience Alley Conference in Minneapolis on Preemption and the Future of Medical Device Litigation. He appeared with Randall Pattee of Lindquist and Vennum and Jean Lance, VP of corporate legal and general counsel for Boston Scientific.

Zicam Lawsuit

Several lawsuits have been filed alleging Zicam caused loss of smell (anosmia) and taste, and our lawyers are reviewing potential claims. We are gathering information about Zicam smell loss. Read more about Zicam: Zicam class action lawsuit, warning letter from the FDA to Matrixx Initiatives, Inc. regarding Zicam Cold Remedy nasal spray and gel swabs, Zicam recall.

After only one use of a Zicam Cold Remedy product, Bonnie Blodgett lost her sense of smell. A gradening writer and foodie, her life was drastically changed. She recently published Remembering Smell: A Memoir of Losing--and Discovering--the Primal Sense in which she chronicals her experience with losing her sense of smell and then slowly getting it back again.

Bonnie's experience with Zicam is similar to many of our other clients. They experienced a burning sensation during the first use of a Zicam product and then lost their sense of smell (anosmia). Most of them were not as fortunate as Bonnie and have not regained their sense of smell.

For more information about Remembering Smell, please click on the image of the book.

Ortho Evra Lawsuit: Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch

The Ortho Evra birth control patch has been linked to an increased risk of blood clots that can lead to pulmonary embolism, stroke and heart attack.

Fentanyl Lawsuit and Fentanyl Recall

There have been a number of recalls regarding fentanyl due to the risk of a fentanyl overdose.

This is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The result of each case is determined by the specific facts and the applicable law.