Zelnorm Recall
Zelnorm Lawsuits
Novartis, the giant Swiss drugmaker, is facing the likelihood of class action and individual Zelnorm lawsuits. There may be a shareholder lawsuit as well, because the company had to reduce its 2007 sales forecast for Zelnorm, a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. Sales of the profitable Zelnorm were halted at the request of the Food and Drug Administration because of data linking the drug to an 800% increase in Zelnorm side effects, including heart attacks and strokes.
People who have taken Zelnorm are urged to seek emergency medical care if they experience the symptoms of a heart attack or stroke: severe chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, sudden weakness or difficulty talking or walking.
Zelnorm lawsuits coming after FDA compels drug’s withdrawal
The FDA has acted boldly by asking that Zelnorm be pulled from the market. The risks of the drug outweigh its benefits, and the agency has deemed it too dangerous to IBS patients. According to the FDA, Novartis is also planning to issue a Zelnorm recall.
It is unclear why the FDA's action was delayed for so long and why Novartis did not reveal the problems with Zelnorm earlier. Surely there will be Zelnorm lawsuits in the coming weeks and months, investigating what (and when) Novartis knew about Zelnorm side effects.
