August 1, 2017
$300,000,000 Settlement was announced for Benicar victims suffering from gastrointestinal injuries. But in order to participate in the settlement program, you must act fast if your case is not already filed. The Benicar settlement is only for those who ingested Benicar before May 2015 and had a documented gastrointestinal injury such as chronic diarrhea. The deadline to enroll is August 23, 2017 so contact us now to learn how we can help.
Benicar Litigation:
On July 4, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that Benicar can cause sprue-like enteropathy, a disease that exhibits symptoms similar to celiac disease. These symptoms include:
- Chronic diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Rapid and substantial weight loss
- Stomach pain and discomfort
- Dehydration
- Cardiovascular problems
But unlike celiac disease, a gluten-free diet will not improve the symptoms of Benicar enteropathy. The only way to stop them is to stop taking Benicar.
Benicar Produces Symptoms Similar to Celiac Disease
Benicar is a medication developed by Japanese drug maker Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. to treat high blood pressure. The Food and Drug Administration originally approved Benicar in 2002, and doctors write millions of prescriptions each year for the medication.
Benicar’s active ingredient, olmesartan medoxomil, lowers blood pressure by helping to keep blood vessels open. It can be taken either as a singular blood pressure treatment or as part of a combination of drugs.
FDA Warning Against Benicar
Despite the popularity of Benicar, research linking the drug to severe gastrointestinal side effects led the FDA in April 2014 to issue a mandate that Benicar carry a warning on its label regarding its association with severe gastrointestinal side effects.
The Mayo Clinic contacted the FDA in 2012 after their researchers found a connection between specific gastrointestinal symptoms and olmesartan medoxomil. Between 2008 and 2011, Mayo Clinic saw 22 patients with symptoms similar to those associated with Celiac disease. Although tests for Celiac disease returned negative, all the patients took Benicar.
Call a Benicar Drug Injury Attorney Today
Some people who took Benicar have suffered physically and financially, and they may have undergone long and difficult treatments to ease the severe intestinal complications and other health issues triggered by Benicar. Soon after the 2013 FDA warning, former Benicar users filed the first lawsuits in New Jersey against Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. and the cases were moved to federal court. Those lawsuits and others are still pending today with numerous other new cases being filed on a continual basis.
Contact our Benicar lawyers today at Childers, Schlueter & Smith today if you’ve also been harmed by this drug.
