Bayer Settles Gadolinium Contrast Agent Injury Lawsuits
Bayer AG has begun the process of settling medical injury lawsuits regarding its Magnevist contrast agent; Magnevist contains gadolinium.
The company is one among several, including General Electric Company and Tyco International Limited, being sued over complaints that the gadolinium-containing contrast agent was responsible for causing a potentially fatal organ hardening disease, called Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF). Since May 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required that gadolinium-containing contrast agents carry a black box warning.
Bayer’s Magnevist is used during magnetic resonance imaging scans to define tissues clearly. Gadolinium was approved for use in imaging scans in 1999, but the compound was found to increase the risk of NSF in patients who have weak kidneys. NSF is a rare debilitating disease that affects the skin, eyes, joints, and internal organs, causing them to harden. The disease can be fatal. Symptoms of NSF, include:
- Burning or swelling
- Tightening of skin
- Changes in skin texture
- Muscle weakness
- Stiffness in the joints
Since the link between NSF and gadolinium became clear, many patients seriously injured by the drug have hired medical injury lawyers to recover compensation for their injuries.
Bayer has begun negotiating approximately 40 cases that linked Magnevist contrast agents with NSF. Apart from Magnevist, there are 4 other contrast agents containing gadolinium - Ominiscan, OptiMARK, MultiHance, and Prohance.
