What is Rezulin?
Rezulin, which has the generic name of troglitazone, was used to treat patients suffering from type 2 diabetes, also referred to as adult onset diabetes, prior to its being withdrawn from the market in March of 2000 at the request of the FDA. Rezulin was manufactured by Parke-Davis/Warner-Lambert, which is now part of Pfizer Inc. Rezulin was a member of a new class of diabetes medication called thiazolidinediones. Similarly to other types of diabetes medication, this class of drugs was designed to treat type 2 diabetes by helping to control the body's level of blood sugar. Rezulin was designed to assist in controlling blood sugar by helping the body more effectively use the insulin it was already creating. Rezulin was meant to achieve this by restoring the body's sensitivity to insulin. Decreasing insulin resistance in the body cuts down on the need for additional insulin.
Rezulin Pulled from the Market
In March of 2000, the FDA requested that Rezulin be voluntarily withdrawn from the market, due to Rezulin's link to severe liver problems. Many of these liver problems resulted in death or the need for a liver transplant. Some reports have linked Rezulin to 90 cases of liver failure. Of those 90 cases of liver failure, 63 resulted in death, while some others had to receive liver transplants. As links to liver problems increased over the years since the drug was introduced in 1997, Rezulin's labeling had been changed to indicate the risk of liver problems and to encourage patients to carefully watch for liver disease.
In 1999, the FDA's Endocrine and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee recommended that Rezulin only be used by the small number of people whose diabetes problems could not be successfully dealt with by other diabetes drugs available on the market. After similar diabetes drugs had been released and monitored for a period of time, the FDA reported that the use of Rezulin presented an unacceptable risk to those who took it when compared to other diabetes drugs then available. This prompted the removal of Rezulin from the market. Other new diabetes drugs were believed to provide the same benefit as Rezulin without the added risk. Rezulin was found to be more toxic to the liver than other similar diabetes drugs on the market called Avandia and Actos. Similarly to Rezulin, these two drugs are also members of the thiazolidinedione class of medications. Since Avandia and Actos are members of the same class as Rezulin, patients are still encouraged to carefully monitor liver activity.
Questions and Consultations
If you or a family member has used the prescription drug Rezulin and noticed adverse side effects, such as liver disease, you should contact a physician immediately. If you would like to discuss your rights, are interested in more information on Rezulin litigation, or if you have information about the cases that you would like to share with us, please fill out the short evaluation form below and a member of Seeger Weiss LLP's experienced staff will call you to discuss your potential rights concerning Rezulin. Attorney consultations incur no obligation on your part and all initial consultations are free of charge and do not create an attorney-client relationship. Seeger Weiss LLP has office locations in both New York and New Jersey and its attorneys practice in courts throughout the country.
Link To Lawyer Seek's Rezulin Content:
<a href='http://www.lawyerseek.com/Practice/Pharmaceutical-Injury-C1/Rezulin-P30/'>Rezulin: Lawyer Seek</a> |
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