Jacksonville, Florida Raptiva® Lawyers

For its association with increasing the risk of causing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), which is a rare and progressive disease of the central nervous system that leads to severe disability or death, manufacturer Genetech, Inc. has voluntarily recalled the drug Raptiva (efalizumab) from the U.S. market.

Raptiva is used to treat chronic plaque psoriasis in adults eighteen years or older who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of psoriasis and affects nearly 2.3 million Americans.

Genetech has informed potential prescribers, clinical trial investigators, patients and distributors of the decision to remove Raptiva from the U.S. market. Raptiva should not be prescribed by physicians to any new patients whatsoever. Since FDA approval in 2003, an estimated 46,000 patients worldwide have been treated with Raptiva.

Approximately 2,000 United States patients may be currently using Raptiva for chronic plaque psoriasis. These individuals should discuss the best treatment alternative with their physician immediately. It is extremely important for patients who are currently taking Raptiva to discontinue use of the drug in an appropriate manner since sudden discontinuation may worsen psoriasis conditions. Raptiva will no longer be available after June 8, 2009.

Although Genetech has issued a voluntary withdrawal of Raptiva, there have been three known cases of diagnosed PML in patients receiving Raptiva and one reported patient treated with Raptiva who died of unknown cause after developing progressive neurologic symptoms. Considering that psoriasis is a disease with currently no known cure, patients require pharmaceutical treatment they can rely on to help them with their condition - not make it worse or put them at risk of death.

If you or someone close to you has taken or are currently taking Raptiva and have suffered from PML or other disabilities, you should seek medical attention right away. It may also be in your best interest to contact a Florida Raptiva litigation attorney who will help you get deserved compensation from the company responsible for negligence. Under product liability law, manufacturers have an obligation to ensure that their products are safe and are required to accurately warn of any hazards that could occur.

If you file a Florida product liability lawsuit, you face the challenge of proving that the product had either a manufacturing defect or failed to warn you about risks associate with its use. In product liability cases relating to prescription drugs like Raptiva, the tenet of “strict liability” requires that you only prove the product was defective and caused injury, as opposed to the negligence level reserved for other personal injury cases.

Any victim or the family of any victim enduring the pain and suffering associated with a defective prescription drug that causes upsetting health scares, long-standing medical complications, disability, or even death, can seek recourse through the courts. It is possible that they can seek restitution for their pain and suffering and recover monies lost due to the high financial burdens of medical bills, treatment, loss of wages, or funeral arrangements.

At Farah & Farah, our Jacksonville, Florida Raptiva recall attorneys want to help you seek justice for the damages done to you by negligent drug manufacturers of Raptiva. We have gained millions of dollars on behalf of our clients’ fight for fair compensation. Call us today for a case evaluation.