Access To Justice

News developments that we’ll be watching at Sokolove Law:

GlaxoSmithKline could face billions of dollars in potential liability from personal injury lawsuits stemming from its diabetes drug Avandia, according to a Reuters report.  The news service said that UBS cut its price target for Glaxo and estimated the company’s potential liability to range “below the midpoint of the $1-$6 billion range forecast by legal experts.” Around 13,000 lawsuits have been filed in connection with Avandia.

Last month a US Senate committee released a report saying that Glaxo knew of possible cardiac risks associated with Avandia for years before such evidence became public. Glaxo rejected the Senate report findings and said the drug is safe.

An advisory panel convened by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Friday that insulin pump problems were more likely the result of user error than device defects, according to Reuters. Insulin pumps are used by diabetics to regulate their blood sugar. A defective pump could lead to improper blood sugar levels, a potentially fatal problem. Earlier this week the FDA said there were problems with the pumps across the industry and called together a panel of outside experts to discuss ways to minimize the risk from defective pumps and to improve how pump makers report and investigate the problems.

Shoppers may want to consult with an FDA recall website before heading out to do the grocery shopping this weekend. That’s because thousands of products containing hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) made by Basic Food Flavors Inc. may be contaminated by Salmonella, according to the federal agency. WebMD writes that so far there have been recalls of 56 processed foods ranging from dips to soup mixes and the list is expected to grow. No illnesses have so far been reported. Concerned consumers can go to an FDA web site to learn about recalled products. The site will be updated as new recalls are issued.