60 minutes had a chilling expose a few weeks ago on the Bayer drug Trasylol.
The broadcast told the story of Joseph Radone. Mr. Radone had heart
surgery. The risk asociated with the surgery was around five percent.
Mr. Radone would be home in a week.
After the surgery, the doctors told the family about "complications"
that had occurred. The doctors told the Joe's wife and daugther that
Traysol was responsible for the complications.
Only ten days after the surgery, the New England Journal of Medicine
published a study on Trasylol. According to to the study, There was an
"association" between Trasylol and kidney failure and Traysol increased
the risk of death in patients given the drug.
As far back as the 1980s, German researchers were concerned with the
drug. In 1992, for instance, 13 of 20 patients given Trasylol had
kidney problems afterwards.
After the New England Journal of Medicine study came out, the FDA held
and advisory meeting to determine the accuracy of the study. At the
hearing, Bayer representatives hid previous studies from the FDA.
In 2007, a Canadian study was stopped because too many patients in the study were dying.
After the Canadian study, German authorities banned Trasylol and Bayer temporarily stopped selling the drug.
After 19 operations including having his eyes sewn shut, removing his
gall bladder, and having his legs amputated, Joe Randone died.
What do you think about the 60 minutes story? Bayer's conduct?
Whether the Randone family should be allowed to file a lawsuit against
Bayer?
Whether the 1000s of other patients and families who were harmed by
Trasylol should obtain some sort of justice from Bayer for the effects
of its drug?
We welcome your comments.
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