Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuit News

Tasigna Rushed to Market to Replace Gleevec

The FDA did not require the same testing of Tasigna as it would have if it had been manufactured by a different company

Friday, December 29, 2017 - Financial considerations may have played a role in the Novartis AG failing to warn the U.S. cancer physicians about the atherosclerosis side effects of Tasigna. In 2015 sales of Tasigna were close to $2 billion and the drug was rapidly replacing Gleevec, the life-extending cancer wonder drug that was scheduled to go off patent. Rather than face steeply declining revenues due to losing market share to generic drug competition, Novartis marketing reps stepped up their marketing efforts and rushed Tasigna to market. The FDA did not require the same testing that it would have a new drug since Tasigna was substantially similar to the company's other cancer drug Gleevec. Tasigna was not put through the scrutiny that usually accompanies the introduction of a new drug. As a result, thousands of Americans could be suffering from atherosclerosis and potentially have a limb amputated or die a sudden death from a heart attack or a stroke.

Anti-cancer chemotherapy drug Tasigna has been linked to an increased risk of patients developing the life-threatening heart conditions of atherosclerosis and peripheral artery disease. Doctors in Canada were warned by Novartis, maker of the drug to be aware of the link and urged to monitor Tasigna patients before, during and after giving them the drug. Although Canadians were warned of the drug's connection to atherosclerosis, no such warning made it to the U.S. cancer physicians for several years and as a result, thousands of patients were put at risk of developing the vascular condition.

Atherosclerosis is a disease where the arteries become clogged with the accumulation of plaque within the arterial walls leading to the major organs. Decreased blood volume to the extremities can result in necrosis and tissue death in the toes and feet requiring amputation. Chunks of plaque can harden and break away from the arterial wall and lodged in the smaller arteries and veins causing a complete blockage. When this happens the blockage o fan artery leading to the heart can cause sudden death due to a heart attack. Blood clots causing blockages in arteries leading to the brain can result in strokes and paralysis.

The signs that Tasigna may have caused atherosclerosis or PAD are coldness, numbness and a tingling sensation in the thighs or toe and foot pain. Sores may develop that do not heal themselves in a normal period of time and the toenails thickening and yellowing due to the decrease of oxygen and nutrients reaching the extremities. Weakness, tiredness and being out of breath when doing routine physical activities such as walking up stairs or carrying the groceries in from the car could indicate something is wrong also. Severe leg and foot cramps may also result from the muscles in the legs and feet not getting enough blood.

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Lawyers for Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuits

Attorneys handling Tasigna lawsuits for leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma offer free, no-obligation case review for individuals and families who believe they may have grounds to file a Tasigna lawsuit. Working on a contingency basis, these attorneys are committed to never charging legal fees unless they win compensation in your Tasigna lawsuit. The product liability litigators handling Roundup claims at the Onder Law Firm have a strong track record of success in representing families harmed by dangerous drugs and consumer products.