If you or a loved one was harmed by the dialysis drug GranuFlo, you may have a case against Fresenius Medical Care. A GranuFlo lawyer at Michigan Injury Lawyers can help you understand your rights and take legal action so you can be compensated for losses.
GranuFlo lawsuits have already been filed nationwide in light of evidence that the dialysate medication significantly increases the risk of cardiac incidents, including fatal heart attacks. Schedule your free consultation today to learn how you can make a claim for your injury or for the wrongful death of a loved one.
GranuFlo Dangers
GranuFlo is an acid concentrate added to dialysate in order to balance the pH levels of patients with kidney problems who undergo dialysis. GranuFlo is manufactured by Fresenius Medical Care, which is one of the world's largest providers of dialysis and dialysate products. Fresenius Medical Care operates 1,800 dialysis centers nationwide and as many as one-third of the 400,000 patients on dialysis in the U.S. receive medical drugs manufactured by Fresenius Medical Care.
Unfortunately, the GranuFlo product produced by Fresenius has serious risks for patients. GranuFlo converts to bicarbonates in the body differently than other acid concentrates, and can result in elevated pH levels. This causes a condition called metabolic alkalosis, which can cause serious health problems, including:
- Hypoxia (low oxygen)
- Hypokalemia (low potassium levels)
- Hypercapnia (elevated carbon dioxide levels)
- Cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heart beat)
- Cardiac arrest
These serious and sometimes fatal side effects affected thousands of patients. By November 2011, 900 cardiac events had already occurred just in clinics operated by Fresenius Medical Care. This prompted Fresenius to send an internal memorandum to is own clinics, although the company did not alert the public or other healthcare facilities to the dangers of its drug.
It was not until the FDA issued a Class I Recall Notice in March 2012 that the dangers of GranuFlo became widely known, even though some evidence indicates that Fresenius Medical Care may have been aware of the risks as early as 2003.
A GranuFlo Attorney Can Help
Fresenius Medical Care, like all providers of drugs and medical products, has an obligation to patients to ensure its products are safe, and to warn the public of the dangers of its dialysate drugs.
Unfortunately, Fresenius likely failed to live up to this obligation and may have even willfully delayed alerting the public to the risks of using GranuFlo. The company needs to be held accountable for the harm that it caused, and a GranuFlo lawyer can help patients take legal action.
Almost 400 lawsuits have already been filed nationwide and a multidistrict litigation has been created for GranuFlo claims to allow for more expedient processing of claims. Plaintiffs may become part of the MDL or can move forward with their own individual claims in state or federal court against Fresenius Medical Care.
It is important to understand your legal rights and the options available to you so you can obtain compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Wrongful death of a family member
A GranuFlo attorney at Michigan Injury Lawyers can help you pursue your claim so you have the best chance of receiving full and fair compensation for losses. Contact us to schedule your free, confidential consultation and learn more about how we can help.