Defective Product Attorneys
Mobile, Alabama
Phosphate Nephropathy
If you or a loved one has become ill or died due to the use of a prescription drug, you may be entitled to compensation. The Alabama defective drug attorneys at Long & Waite help clients recover damages due to complications caused by prescription drugs.
Phosphate nephropathy is a type of acute kidney failure. Phosphate nephropathy has been known to be caused by oral sodium phosphate products (OSP), which are colon cleansers. Some examples of these OSPs are over the counter products made by Fleet under the Phospho-Soda line and prescription OSPs such as Visicol and OsmoPrep. These OSPs have been recommended by doctors for use before colonoscopies and other general surgery. In certain cases, these OSPs caused phosphate nephropathy. The damage done by phosphate nephropathy is usually permanent and can require chronic dialysis in severe cases.
The FDA issued a health alert for these products, but a mandatory recall was never issued. While Fleet issued a voluntary recall for its OSPs, other OSPs are still available by prescription, such as Visicol and OsmoPrep. The FDA did require the manufacturers of Visicol and OsmoPrep to add a black box warning about the dangers of contracting phosphate nephropathy caused by OSPs, however.
Groups at Risk for Phosphate Nephropathy
If you are currently using an OSP, you should consult your doctor to make sure that this is a safe alternative for you. Groups that are at risk for phosphate nephropathy include the following:
- Advanced age
- History of kidney problems
- Those who use other medications that affect kidney function
- People with decreased intravascular volume
If you belong to any of those risk groups, talk to your doctor about alternatives to OSPs for colon cleansing prior to a surgical procedure. The use of an OSP if you belong to any of the above at risk groups can seriously increase the chance of developing acute phosphate nephropathy.
The pharmaceutical litigation attorneys at Long & Waite, Attorneys at Law in Mobile, Alabama have begun investigating cases involving acute phosphate nephropathy caused by Fleet Phospho-Soda and other Oral Sodium Phosphate bowel cleansers. If you have suffered acute renal failure following a colonoscopy, colostomy, or other surgical procedure and who used Fleet Phosho-Soda as a bowel cleanser prior to the surgery, please contact the defective product attorneys Long & Waite, Attorneys at Law, today.
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