Bloomfield Hills personal injury lawyer Thomas L. Stroble says vaccine could help to stop the country’s growing number of hospital-related Clostridum difficile-related infections.
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (PRWEB) February 24, 2011
Michigan personal injury lawyer Thomas L. Stroble said today that new, more effective measures need to be taken to prevent hospital patients from suffering from Clostridium difficile infections.
“The growing rate of C. difficile infections among patients in Michigan and throughout the country shows that whatever measures hospitals and nursing homes are taking to prevent these infections are not sufficient,” said Stroble, the founding attorney of The Michigan Injury Lawyers, P.C., a Bloomfield Hills law firm that represents clients in medical malpractice and nursing home negligence cases.
“Fortunately, while hospitals and long-term care facilities may be failing, researchers are making progress to develop vaccines that would stop the progress of these C. difficile infections,” Stroble said. “Hopefully, patients can soon benefit from these preventive medicines.”
For example, the Connecticut-based Stamford Therapeutics Consortium announced last week that it was starting a phase II clinical study of a vaccine developed by global pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted fast-track designation to the investigational vaccine, which is only given when a new drug or vaccine is needed to prevent serious or life-threatening conditions and to address unmet medical needs.
According to a study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the number of hospital patients stricken by C. difficile–connected diseases spiked by 200 percent during the first half of this past decade. Two out of every three infected hospital patients were elderly.
Clostridium difficile is a type of bacteria that can cause potentially life-threatening diseases, including diarrhea. It can be spread through exposure to unwashed hands, bedpans, toilet seats or other surfaces.
It is commonly treated with antibiotics. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a new strain of C. difficile has emerged in recent years that may be resistant to commonly used antibiotics.
“A person suffering from a C. difficile infection may have been exposed to this harmful form of bacteria through the negligence of a hospital or nursing home staff,” Stroble said. “It’s important to seek treatment right away and to consult with an attorney who will make sure your legal rights are protected.”
About The Michigan Injury Lawyers, P.C.
The Michigan Injury Lawyers, P.C. is a full-service Bloomfield Hills, MI law firm that represents personal injury and car accident victims and their families throughout the state of Michigan, including Macomb County, Oakland County, Warren, Clinton Township, Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores, Mount Clemens, Utica, Roseville, Troy, Farmington Hills, Waterford, Southfield, Pontiac, Birmingham, Rochester Hills, West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills. The firm’s personal injury practice areas also include truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, birth injuries, slip and falls, dog bites and wrongful death cases. To learn more about The Michigan Injury Lawyers, P.C. call (248) 454-0800 or (888) 454-0801 or use the firm’s online contact form.