Parilman & Associates – Incivek Side Effects Lawyers
Usually, when people contract a serious disease, they will notice at least some symptoms that alert them to some sort of a problem. These symptoms usually prompt people to seek medical attention and from there a diagnosis can be made and course of treatment can begin. As dangerous as some diseases are, some of the most dangerous are those that do not lead to any outward symptoms. People can have a disease that continues to progress until it’s discovered. When that disease is often accidentally discovered, it can lead to serious medical challenges.
One such disease that falls into this category is Hepatitis C, commonly known in the medical world as HCV. Hepatitis C is a disease that is contracted when someone comes into contact with contaminated blood by way of receiving a blood transfusion that’s tainted or because they are sharing or otherwise using dirty needles. HCV attacks the liver of a person and eventually it can lead to liver failure, but it can take decades to discover because of its lack of symptoms.
In response to the demand for medication that helps to fight hepatitis C, a Massachusetts drug company known as Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. formulated and released a medication that’s scientifically known as telapriver and that is sold under the brand name of Incivek. Incivek was approved for use by the FDA in May of 2011, and it is available via prescription. Incivek is given in pill form and it is always used with two other medications known as peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. These medications combine to work by preventing the replication of the virus in the body, thereby limiting any damage done to the liver.
Unfortunately, in December of 2012 the FDA was forced to act in a public manner. The agency issued a public health alert and ordered what is known as a Black Box Warning to be affixed to all containers of Incivek that warned people of the potential for Incivek side effects when taken in conjunction with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. The general reason for this warning was because there was growing evidence that using all of these drugs simultaneously can lead to severe skin reactions that can create their own set of extreme dangers.
There were two such severe skin reactions that were noted by officials both in the United States and in Japan, and these are known as toxic epidermal necrolysis, or TEN and drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, or DRESS. These skin reactions can cause severe damage and they can even be fatal in some circumstances. Examples of symptoms of these conditions include:
- Skin rash
- Severe rash featuring bumps
- Rash that persists for more than three days
- Mouth sores
- Swelling of the face
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Fever
If you have used these medications to treat hepatitis C and you are experiencing any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. If you or someone you love has suffered in this manner, contact the Incivek side effects lawyers at Parilman & Associates immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.
