Darvocet Death Affects 22-Year-Old

One of many Darvocet lawsuits filed in state and federal courts was that of Tammy and John Gilbert of Ohio, who unfortunately lost their daughter to the once-popular painkiller in 2009 after she was prescribed the drug for a torn ligament in her knee. At the time, Darvocet was a routinely prescribed medication for mild to moderate pain, and the list of risks associated with the medication that came on the prescription bottle and in an insert with the drug reassured the Gilberts that the drug would be safe. However, this was not the case.
Kara Nicole Gilbert, a 22-year-old with no family or personal history of heart problems, was found dead in her apartment eight days after starting the medication, of acute cardiac failure with evidence of pulmonary edema. Her parents have filed a wrongful Darvocet death lawsuit against Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, the makers of the medication, in hopes of receiving compensation for the suffering they have endured after the loss of their only child. Although there is nothing that will bring their daughter back to life, a settlement will help with medical bills and other costs associated with the loss.
Kara Gilbert’s death was particularly tragic since Darvocet and other propoxyphene-based painkillers have been under investigation for decades due to the observed potential for fatality and other side effects associated with their use. The medication was banned in 2005 in the United Kingdom, and consumer advocacy groups began petitioning the United States’ Food and Drug Administration for a recall as early as the 1970s. However, regulations have been in place that prevent the Food and Drug Administration from requiring the monitoring of drugs once they are approved for the pharmaceuticals market. However, what the FDA was able to do was ask Xanodyne to conduct a study on their product – after which the company initiated a voluntary recall of Darvocet, having determined that the risks of the medication far outweigh any benefits to consumers.