A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a Mississippi woman who alleges she was injured after being implanted with two transvaginal mesh devices. The suit was filed on April 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Charleston Division, where it has joined dozens of other pending cases in a multidistrict litigation (MDL). Ethicon Inc., Ethicon LLC and Johnson & Johnson have been named as defendants.

The Plaintiff, who is represented by the national law firm Parker Waichman LLP, is suing for negligence on three counts of strict liability (design defect, manufacturing defect and failure to warn), breach of express and implied warranty, fraudulent concealment and punitive damages. She alleges that she was implanted with the Prolift and TVT sling on November 20, 2008. According to the complaint, the device is defective and caused a number of injuries. The Defendant is accused of knowing about the risks associated with the mesh products but failing to warn the Plaintiff, her doctor, or consumers. More Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Mississippi Woman Allegedly Injured by Transvaginal Mesh Devices

Ranbaxy settled an eight-year dispute with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday at the cost of $500 million.

Former director and global head of Research Information and Portfolio Management at Ranbaxy Laboratories, Dinesh Thakur, will go down in history as the man who brought down the Indian company in the United States’ most high-profile generic drug violation case in history. With the whistleblower’s help, the government was able to unravel years of falsified records and dangerous manufacturing practices within Ranbaxy, drawing attention to the need for better regulation of drugs sold in the U.S., regardless of where they are made. Thakur will receive $48.5 million for his efforts, according to Moneycontrol.com. More Ranbaxy Settles with FDA for $500 Million; Whistleblower to Get $48.5 Million

A Chicago jury ruled that a man whose wife allegedly suffered a life-threatening fungal infection after using the arthritis drug Humira will receive $2.2 million in compensation in the first Humira lawsuit to go to trial.

The Plaintiff, Milton Tietz, alleged that Humira caused a widespread histoplasmosis fungal infection that took the life of his wife, Delores Tietz, in 2010, after doctors struggled to diagnose the illness. According to the complaint, the Plaintiff accused Abbott Laboratories of failing to adequately warn about Humira’s risk, and alleged that doctors could have identified his wife’s illness more quickly and possibly saved her life had they known about the dangers of the drug, Law 360.com reported. More First Humira Trial Ends in $2.2 Million Verdict

A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a Missouri man who alleges the Type 2 diabetes drug Actos caused his bladder cancer. The complaint was filed April 2, 2013 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, where it has become part of an Actos multidistrict litigation (MDL). Takeda Pharmaceuticals, America; Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. f/k/a Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; and Eli Lilly and Company have been named as Defendants. More Missouri Man Alleges Type 2 Diabetes Drug Actos Caused his Cancer

The death of a North Carolina teenager two years ago has been ruled an accident and the result of an accidental firing from a Remington Model 700 rifle.

According to The Charlotte Observer, Jasmine Thar was killed when she was hit with a shot from a rifle. Two others in the incident were wounded, but in a recent development, a local district attorney has determined that criminal charges would not be filed because his office believed the shooting was the result of a gun defect.

More DA Rules 2011 Fatal Shooting not Criminal, Blames Remington Rifle for Unintended Firing

Health Canada is warning that sometimes fatal cases of necrotizing fasciitis have been reported in patients being given the drug Avastin, which is used to treat metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and locally advanced, metastatic or recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Necrotizing fasciitis is an infection of the soft tissue which rapidly spreads, necrotizing the skin. Patients with diabetes and compromised immune systems are at a higher risk of developing the condition. A safety review performed by Avastin’s manufacturer, Roche, found that 52 cases of necrotizing fasciitis had been reported in patients using Avastin between November 1997 and September 2012. Seventeen of those cases were fatal. More Avastin Associated with Reports of Necrotizing Fasciitis

A connection between frequent soda drinking and diabetes has been suggested in recent years, but a new study ups the ante, suggesting that just one soda a day can significantly increase the risk of diabetes.

A new study was conducted by researchers at Imperial College London who reviewed statistics from 350,000 adults in 18 European countries. Researchers found that for every 12-ounce serving of sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soda, the consumer’s risk of diabetes increased by 18 percent, compared to those who drink just one can or less a month, rttnews.com said.

More Study: Drinking One Soda per Day Greatly Increases Diabetes Risk

A lawsuit was filed on April 2 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on behalf of a New Hampshire man who alleges that use of the Type 2 diabetes drug Actos caused bladder cancer.

The suit is now pending in the Actos federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) entitled In Re: Actos (Pioglitazone) Products Liability Litigation (MDL). Takeda Pharmaceuticals, America; Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. f/k/a Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc.; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; and Eli Lilly and Company have been named as defendants. He is represented by the national law firm Parker Waichman LLP, whose founding partner, Jerrold Parker, serves on the plaintiffs’ steering committee on the MDL. More New Hampshire Man Alleges Actos Caused his Bladder Cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public warning that the stimulant dimethylamylamine (DMAA) did not qualify as a legal dietary supplement. Labeling the stimulant as illegal is the quickest way for the FDA to stop further distributions of products containing DMAA.

The FDA also warned the public that DMAA may raise blood pressure, which could potentially lead to heart attacks and other health problems, the New York Times said. DMAA is most commonly used in supplements promoting weight loss, muscle building and performance enhancement. The stimulant can elevate blood pressure and could lead to cardiovascular problems, including heart attack, shortness of breath and tightening of the chest, the FDA said in its notice. DMAA can also be particularly dangerous when used with caffeine.

More FDA Labels Workout Stimulant DMAA as Illegal

A Colorado surgeon faces 14 counts of unprofessional conduct over a series of botched surgeries that occurred from 2008 to 2010, all of which involve the da Vinci surgical robot.

According to a complaint filed by the Colorado Medical Board, Dr. Warren Kortz used a da Vinci surgical robot during operations at Porter Adventist Hospital and utilized improper procedures, resulting in a sponge left inside one patient, and torn aortas in others. In all, the complaint cites 11 separate cases of botched surgeries. “The Board generally will file between 10 and 15 notices of charges in a particular calendar year,” Marshall Smith, Colorado Medical Board Program Director, told Fox News. “So it is a very serious matter.” More Colorado Surgeon Faces 14 Counts of Unprofessional Conduct