Kelley & Ferraro

Zantac recall update: Stop taking this medication immediately

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Pharmaceutical Litigation on Monday, January 13, 2020.

It has been widely publicized across the country fact that N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) could cause cancer in people who take ranitidine products. Up to this point, the Zantac recall has not urged those who take it to stop doing so. That has changed.

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc. is one of the latest ranitidine manufacturing companies to voluntarily recall its medications due to the possible presence of NDMA. This company has decided to completely stop distributing its 150mg and 300 mg ranitidine products in the U.S. In this Dec. 17, 2019, recall, they advise those taking the medication to stop taking it immediately.

Did Zantac recall only bolster woman's breast cancer claim?

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Pharmaceutical Litigation on Friday, January 3, 2020.

People are already beginning to come forward to claim that ranitidine caused their cancer. After taking the medications for decades, they are now receiving diagnoses of a variety of cancers. It is possible that the Zantac recall gave many individuals, including some here in Ohio, the connection they were missing regarding why they ended up with cancer.

One woman who recently received a diagnosis of a type of breast cancer referred to as ductal carcinoma. She did not understand how this could have happened and began doing some research. When Zantac and other ranitidine medications began being recalled for the presence of a human carcinogen, began connecting the dots.

Did the FDA miss the potential harm from ranitidine?

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Pharmaceutical Litigation on Wednesday, November 27, 2019.

Numerous countries decided to simply discontinue the manufacturing, distribution and selling of Zantac and its generic equivalents off the market. Here in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration decided to continue testing and determining how nitrosodimethylamine, popularly known as NDMA, forms in the medication. In the meantime, consumers here in Ohio and elsewhere may be wondering whether they will suffer harm from ranitidine.

The recalls of this medication, beginning with Zantac, began after an online laboratory and pharmacy called Valisure found the carcinogen in this and other brands of the popular acid reliever. Valisure then alerted the FA to the problem. The agency then announced the presence of unacceptable levels of NDMA in ranitidine products in September.

If you were a 9/11 responder in NYC, you may be in danger

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP on Monday, November 25, 2019.

When the Twin Towers fell in New York City in 2001, first responders and emergency personnel acted as first responders do. They answered the emergency call and tried to save people trapped in the buildings and rubble. They didn't think about the long-term effects of working at the site.

Now, 18 years later, the long-term damage is evident. Malignant mesothelioma has become the latest deadly cancer linked to ground zero rescue, recovery and cleanup efforts.

Food and Drug Administration issues recall of dietary supplement

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Pharmaceutical Litigation on Friday, November 22, 2019.

Many Ohio residents take dietary supplements for a variety of reasons. Part of the problem with the supplements is that they do not undergo testing necessarily undergo the same scrutiny by the Food and Drug Administration as prescribed medications do, which means they are often classified as unapproved drugs, especially if they contain medications ordinarily prescribed by doctors. The recent recall of a dietary supplement claiming to help with libido occurred because it contained an unapproved drug.

The Med Man supplement, called Up2, was found to contain sildenafil, which is prescribed for erectile dysfunction. This medication may be approved by the FDA for prescription by a doctor, but not for use in this dietary supplement. Part of the reason for this is that there could be dangerous drug interaction issues. For example, those who take nitrates, such as nitroglycerin, could experience life-threatening low blood pressure when taking the recalled supplement and these medications.

Failure to yield leads to numerous vehicle accidents

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, November 20, 2019.

Watching out for other vehicles is an important part of driving. Even when a driver has the right-of-way, this remains a priority in order to remain safe. When drivers fail to yield, it often leads to vehicle accidents.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol recently responded to an accident involving two vehicles. One of them, a commercial vehicle, was pulling out of a private driveway onto Route 7 at the same time as the other vehicle was on the roadway. The two vehicles collided, and the vehicle that was struck finally came to rest in the median near the southbound side of the road.

Asbestos exposure could result from siding on older homes

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Asbestos/Mesothelioma on Friday, November 15, 2019.

Many Ohio residents buy older homes for a variety of reasons. What they may not consider when making the purchase is that older homes could contain toxic materials. Even if they are aware of the concern, they may miss one important source of potential health issues -- the home's siding. Some older homes have a cement-type siding that could result in asbestos exposure.

As late as the 1970s asbestos-reinforced concrete was still used as siding for houses. As long as products containing asbestos are intact and left alone, they should not present any danger. Even if the exterior is left untouched, pressure washing it could damage the siding, which could release dust and/or fibers from this toxic substance.

Distracted driving plays a role in too many Ohio car accidents

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, November 13, 2019.

Drunk driving, drowsy driving and distracted driving seem to be the "3-Ds" when it comes to motor vehicle crashes. Each one presents the same dangers to everyone traveling Ohio's roadways, but one has risen rapidly in the rank in recent years. Distracted driving is a factor in far too many car accidents here and elsewhere across the country.

Police suspect distracted driving played a role in a recent crash that caused serious injuries to a woman traveling in a vehicle in the northbound lanes of Interstate 75. It was around 6:45 p.m. on a Friday night when another vehicle in the southbound lanes veered off the road and into the median, where it flipped into the northbound lanes. The out-of-control vehicle then slammed into the vehicle occupied by a woman, her husband and her 3-year-old son.

Hazardous materials found in yet another food product

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Products Liability on Wednesday, November 6, 2019.

It seems as though there have been far too many news stories lately about contaminated foods. Many contain hazardous materials that have no place in foods that consumers purchase, eat and serve to their families. Some Ohio consumers may already know that the one of the latest products in question comes from Nestle USA.

The recall includes the company's ready-to-bake products, including the chubs, bars and tubs bearing certain batch codes. The products affected by the voluntary recall managed to leave the company's facilities with rubber pieces in them. It was not aware of this issue until Nestle USA received reports of the pieces from outside the company.

Further investigation is often needed in car accidents

On behalf of Kelley Ferraro of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, November 6, 2019.

The first priority for first responders at a crash site is to ensure the safety of those involved and to assess their medical status. Thereafter, an investigation begins in order to determine the factors that led to a particular wreck. In many car accidents, further investigation is needed before authorities issue the final report.

On a recent Sunday morning just after 7 a.m., emergency medical personnel and troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to a two-vehicle accident. It took some time to free all four occupants of the two vehicles because two were trapped in the wreckage when the vehicles finally came to rest. The condition of those two individuals required first responders to transport them via helicopter to the hospital.