Dallas Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Blog
Charles Bowers started using Nexium in July 2003. He used the drug routinely to treat symtpoms of heartburn until May 2008, when he was diagnosed with interstitial nephritis.
Nephritis is a type of kidney inflammation that is usually caused by an allergic reaction to medications in the bloodstream. It can occur at any time in patients on Nexium, even if they have taken it safely before.
Many people who develop nephritis are left with long-term kidney problems. Bowers was diagnosed with chronic nephritis in May 2009. He, like most other people suffering from nephritis, now undergoes dialysis 3 times a week and needs a kidney transplant.
Bowers accuses the makers of Nexium of failing to warn about the risk of kidney problems. The first case linking nephritis to Nexium and other proton pump inhibitor drugs was discovered and published in a study in 2004, but nephritis was not added to the drug label warning until a decade later. This helps support Bowers claim that the drug company knew or should have known about the risk of developing nephritis.
Last year, a study published in CMAJ Open found that older adults who used anti-heartburn drugs like Nexium were three times more likely to develop nephritis than non-users.
More recent studies have found a 20-50% increased risk of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in patients on anti-heartburn drugs in the Proton-Pump Inhibitor (PPI) class, which includes Nexium and Prilosec.
Bowers filed the lawsuit on July 5, 2016 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
The current lawsuits being filed across the country primarily deal with people who have been diagnosed with Acute or Chronic Interstitial Nephritis (AIN or CIN). In order to be diagnosed with AIN or CIN, you are required to undergo a renal biopsy. It is also important that the potential plaintiff does not suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure.
Our law firm continues to investigate Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, and other Proton Pump Inhibitor drug lawsuits from across the country. If you or a loved one suffered from Acute or Chronic Interstitial Nephritis, contact our office immediately.