Lawsuits Against Benicar Manufacturers Begin

In 2013, the FDA warned the general public about the dangers of Benicar and required its manufacturers to update the warning label. These dangers included developing a serous GI disorder, known as sprue-like enteropathy, which can lead to severe malnutrition, diarrhea, and dehydration. Now, injured patients are beginning to file lawsuits across the country, seeking to hold the negligent pharmaceutical manufacturer responsible for their suffering.

In 2013, the FDA began to investigate the link between Benicar and sprue-like enteropathy after a 2012 study by the Mayo Clinic exposed the connection. This led to the FDA forcing Benicar’s manufacturer to update Benicar’s labels warning patients of the serious gastrointestinal risks associated with using their drug.

Unfortunately, Benicar-induced sprue-like enteropathy may have affected more people than the manufacturers realize. Since sprue-like enteropathy caused by Benicar is similar to Celiac disease and gluten intolerance, many individuals may have been mistakenly diagnosed with Celiac disease or may be trying to control their GI symptoms with over-the-counter medications and/or a gluten-free diet.

The complications that can arise from Benicar-induced sprue-like enteropathy is staggering. Patients have reported years of diarrhea and malnutrition that has caused long-term intestinal damage in many. This can eventually lead to fatal GI complications if not treated quickly.

First Benicar Lawsuit Filed

The first Benicar lawsuit was filed earlier this year when a Texas man claimed that he developed severe gastrointestinal symptoms, including malnutrition and severe diarrhea after using Benicar. Due to his Benicar-induced illness, he was forced to spend over 100 days in the hospital and must now be fed through a feeding tube.

Several other plaintiffs have already come forward and filed the first of many Benicar lawsuits, alleging that the drug manufacturer failed to adequately warn the public of the dangers associated with the use of Benicar for hypertension. In addition, those lawsuits allege that the company knew of these risks and still promoted their drug without updating the labels.

This isn’t the first time Benicar manufacturer Daiichi Sankyo has been in trouble with the FDA. In 2006, the FDA accused the company of deliberately and fraudulently marketing Benicar, by using false and unsubstantiated statements that failed to include important Benicar health risk information. In 2013, the FDA also cited the Benicar manufacturer for direct mail ads that made misleading and unsubstantiated claims to patients.

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