On Thursday, by order of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Marshals raided generic drug company Caraco’s factories and seized more than 30 of the 40-odd medications it markets. The seizure was ordered after the FDA found manufacturing problems at all three of the company’s plants in Detroit, Michigan.
Caraco is no stranger to FDA-related controversy. Indeed, it has had several high-profile recalls of its medications just in the past year, all of which exposed it to multiple dangerous drug lawsuits. These recalls included the popular diabetes drug metformin (generic for Glucophage), and the heart drug digoxin, the latter of which allows Caraco to hold a fifth of the U.S. market. Both products were recalled due to concerns about accidental variations in the pills’ sizes.
Despite the FDA’s drastic measures, the director of its drug division’s office of compliance has said that patients taking generic drugs made by Caraco should continue to take them, because all of the defective drugs had been recalled or seized. This seems an interesting instruction, considering how great the damage could be if she is wrong. Digoxin, a derivative of the poisonous plant foxglove, is known to be toxic and has a narrow margin between beneficial and lethal amounts. Improperly sized digoxin tablets can cause heart instability and even death, particularly in patients with kidney failure. Last year, a different generic drug company, Actavis Group, recalled its generic digoxin medication due to concerns that some of the tablets had been manufactured twice as thick as the company intended. According to the FDA, “several reports of illness and injuries” were linked to Activis pills last year.
Caraco’s products also include a generic form of epilepsy drug Tegretol, a pain reliever called tramadol/APAP, and many others. A full list of the company’s defective products can be found on the FDA’s website. Generic defective drugs can be even more dangerous than their brand-name counterparts, as the manufacturer’s name does not call attention to itself. However, it should always be listed, so please check the labels of all your generic medications. If you or someone you love has experienced serious ill effects or untimely death after taking a Caraco-manufactured product, please contact a St. Louis pharmaceutical liability lawyer to learn more about your rights and your potential legal claim. Innocent consumers who fall victim to mistakes by Caraco or any other drug company should be heard — and, if appropriate, compensated for their physical, emotional and financial losses.
Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Carey, Danis & Lowe’s pharmaceutical injury lawyers represent clients in Missouri, southern Illinois and across the country who have been hurt by defective prescription and over-the-counter medications. If you or someone you care about has been harmed by a dangerous drug, and you would like to learn more about your rights and options, please contact the Lowe Law Firm online, or call us toll-free at 1-877-678-3400 for a free, confidential consultation.
