Millions May Be at Risk Because of Darvocet

Over 10 million people in the U.S. received prescriptions for drugs containing propoxyphene in 2009, according to the FDA. The most popular form of the drug currently is Darvocet, which combines propoxyphene with the more common painkiller acetaminophen. At an FDA meeting in 2009, officials cited studies showing most of the pain relief from Darvocet came from the acetaminophen. Despite pain relief, there are many serious side effects of Darvocet that outweigh the benefits. In January 2009, an FDA advisory committee voted 14-12 against continued marketing of propoxyphene. The FDA denied that request, but required a study of propoxyphene’s cardiac effects. The FDA’s study showed an increased risk for heart arrhythmias even in healthy patients, not just those weakened by illness.

Lawsuits Claim Cardiac Failure as Darvocet Side Effect

Popular painkillers containing propoxyphene, which include Darvocet, Darvon and generic equivalents, were removed from the market in November 2010 after it was confirmed that the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening heart side effects outweigh the benefits provided by the medications. A complaint was filed on May 24 in U.S. District Court in New Orleans by Peggy Oniate against Eli Lilly & Co., Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals Inc., Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., Qualitest Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Vintage Pharmaceuticals, Inc., saying the recalled painkiller caused her to suffer a fatal heart attack. Darvocet lawsuits are one of a growing number that have been filed by plaintiffs who say they suffered heart problems or lost loved ones due to a heart attack from Darvocet.

1 Out of 20 Drug Deaths Related to Darvocet

Propoxyphene has been linked to deaths from heart complications and accidental overdose for more than 30 years, but the FDA delayed requesting market withdrawal of the drug due to “general agreement that additional information about the cardiac effects of propoxyphene would be relevant in further weighing the risk and benefit.” The results of one study provided evidence that even at therapeutic levels, propoxyphene could produce heart rhythm abnormalities. Xanodyne, the company that manufactures Darvon and Darvocet, also indicates that some of the plaintiffs took versions of Darvon Darvocet, arguing that the drug maker could not be held liable in those cases. Both the brand name drugs and their generic equivalents were pulled from the market, resulting in hundreds of Darvocet lawsuits.

Darvocet Recall Came Too Late For a Generation

The company that manufacturers Darvon and Darvocet (which also contains acetaminophen), Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has agreed to comply with the FDA’s demands, and generic makers of the drug are expected to do the same. At the time the market withdrawal request was issued, an estimated 10 million patients nationwide were taking a pain medication containing propoxyphene. It is likely that hundreds, if not thousands, of Darvocet lawsuits will be filed against not only Xanodyne, but other manufacturers of the drug. Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the name-brand versions of Darvon and Darvocet, has opposed consolidation of the litigation, arguing that much of the evidence and discovery in the cases will focus on the individual health of each plaintiff. In addition, the company points out that many of the cases involve generic versions of Darvocet or Darvon, which is available from a number of different drug makers.

35 Years of Propoxyphene Recall Requests Finally Granted

A Darvocet recall was issued in November 2010, after the FDA determined that propoxyphene-based painkillers, which also include Darvon and generic equivalents, may increase the risk of heart problems and other potentially life-threatening injuries, such as suicide and overdose. Medical experts have been questioning the safety of Darvocet and Darvon for years, with the first petition for the FDA to issue a propoxyphene recall filed in 1978, after data suggested that the drug may cause potentially harmful toxins to build up in the heart. Although Darvon and Darvocet were recalled in the U.K. in 2005 due to an increased risk of potential Darvocet suicide and overdose, it remained available in the United States.

Darvocet Arrhythmia Proves Fatal

The once-popular painkiller Darvocet has been linked to heart problems in many patients and a resulting series of Darvocet lawsuits. The drug, which has since been pulled from the market, has been connected to pulmonary issues such as cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, and other serious issues. In some cases, Darvocet-related arrhythmia can be fatal.

Darvocet Arrhythmia Proves Fatal

The once-popular painkiller Darvocet has been linked to heart problems in many patients and a resulting series of Darvocet lawsuits. The drug, which has since been pulled from the market, has been connected to pulmonary issues such as cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, and other serious issues. In some cases, Darvocet-related arrhythmia can be fatal.