Five Blinded by Eye Disease Drug

A controversial drug being used to treat eye cancers and other ocular diseases has been linked to blindness in at least five patients and eye infections in many more. The growing catalog of problems linked to Genentech's Avastin (bevacizumab) are detailed in a report in the New York Times. According to the newspaper, the latest victims were patients at Veterans Affairs medical center in Los Angeles who lost their eyesight after receiving Avastin.

Avastin is a go-to drug because it costs only approximately $50 an injection, but as experienced medical malpractice attorneys based in Virginia (VA), my colleagues and I are concerned that any savings realized by using the product over a competitor such as Lucentis (ranibizumab, also from Genentech) are outweighed by the harm done to patients.

Our thoughts are with the victims whose health has been irreparably harmed by this drug. Indeed, we see no reason why Avastin is being used because in July 2011 we reported on how the medication appears to be ineffective in the treatment of breast cancer. See this video in which U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials make the case against Avastin

Our experienced Virginia Beach, VA-based personal injury attorneys have written extensively about recalls of numerous dangerous drugs. These include Avandia (rosiglitazone from GlaxoSmithKline), a widely used medication prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes. Potentially deadly side effects of Avandia include stroke, severe chest pains, liver toxicity, congestive heart failure, vision changes, headache, back ache, anemia, respiratory infections and brittle bones in women.

In cases of dangerous drugs and improper medication our Virginia attorneys are ready to help victims such as the 61-year-old who was in good health until his pharmacist gave him an improper dose of a blood thinner. Our client received a $200,000 mediated sttlement for the misadminstration of pharmaceuticals.

DM