Fentanyl (Duragesic) Attorneys
Fentanyl pain medication patches (brand name Duragesic) have been recalled because of a flaw that could cause patients or people caring for patients using the patch to accidentally overdose on the very potent drug inside the patch.
The patches are manufactured by PriCara and sold as Duragesic; they are sold generically as fentanyl by Sandoz, Inc. The recall on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 includes all 25-microgram-per-hour patches with expiration dates on or before December 2009.
The flaw is that some of the patches may have a cut in the lining of the internal reservoir where the drug is stored in gel form. When the drug leaks from the packaging, it causes the patient to come into direct contact with the very strong opiod drug, which could result in difficulty breathing and a fatal overdose.
The flaw in the fentanyl patch can actually be seen with the naked eye when the foil pouch containing an individual pouch is opened. A flawed pouch should not even be handled as the drug can seep into your skin and make you very sick. If your skin is exposed to the drug, you should rinse the exposed area thoroughly with water but not washed with soap. Flush the patches down the toilet so no one else in your home can come in contact with the potentially lethal drug.
What is fentanyl, and how does it work?
Fentanyl is a narcotic, a member of the same group of drugs to which opium and morphine belong. The opiate drugs bind to different types of opiate receptors throughout the nervous system. Different types of opiates tend to bind to different types of receptors thus creating differences in effect between the different opiates. There are many side effects involved with taking this drug including:
- Respiratory depression
- Skin reactions
- Reduced appetite
- Drowsiness
- Wobbly gait
- Nausea
In the past few years, there have been many deaths reported in patients using the fentanyl pain medication patches. The Food and Drug Administration has been investigating deaths and overdoses that have occurred with both brand-name and generic patches. And in July 2005, the FDA issued a public health advisory on the patch.
If you or a loved one has used fentanyl or Duragesic pain medication patches and has died or been harmed, please contact a pharmaceutical injury attorney as you may be entitled to compensation. You should act quickly as there are statutes of limitation, or time limits, on cases such as this.
Contact us today to find an experienced pharmaceutical injury lawyer for your case.
