COLCHICINE INJECTION RECall and side effects
February 7, 2008: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces an immediate recall of certain batches of Colchicine due to a batch mistakenly made 10 times stronger than the label stated.
Background:
Colchicine, manufactured by ApotheCure, is most commonly used to treat patients who suffer from a type of arthritis known as gout. The recalls includes the compounded Injectable Colchicine .5mg/ml, 4ml vials, lot number 20070122@26 due to three recent deaths. ApotheCure, a pharmacy based in Texas, recently mistakenly made this batch of an already dangerous drug 10 times stronger than the label stated. Colchicine is an extremely toxic nitrogen-based medication used by doctors to treat a number of conditions. Compounding is a process that pharmacies sometimes use to create medications for people that have certain conditions that prevent them from using standard drugs. ApotheCure Inc. compounded colchicine for the Oregon patients, but made it too strong.
Products containing colchicine are injected when patients suffer from acute gout. There is only a slight difference between an effective dose and a toxic dose. Colchicine poisoning side effects include:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Sore throat
- Rash
- Numbness
- Allergic reactions such as hives, swelling of lips/face/tongue, closing of throat, difficulty breathing
- Unsuspected bleeding and bruising
The most serious colchicine side effects include:
- Fetal damage in pregnant women
- Anemia,
- Respiratory failure
- Kidney failure
- Death
The FDA ordered manufacturers to stop making the products because they believe that the safety risks associated with colchicine injections outweigh any potential benefit. The recall does not concern products containing colchicines in tablet form, which are frequently used to prevent gout. The drug administered orally releases limited amounts of colchicines. If injected, many patients don’t experience side effects until they have extremely high toxic levels of colchicine.
What can you do?
If you have experienced any side effects from your use of colchicine you are advised to seek immediate medical attention. It may also be important to contact an attorney who can help you protect your potential legal claim. If you would like more information, or would just like to talk with a lawyer experienced in this litigation, please call attorney Stacy Hauer at 1.800.755.0098 for a free consultation or click here to fill out an online free case review.
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