Those who take Adderall may be at risk for heart problems, heart damage, irregular heartbeat, or sudden death caused by Adderall. Have you or your child had a stroke caused by taking Adderall? If so, you may need an Adderall injury attorney.
What is Adderall? Adderall is a central nervous system stimulant (amphetamine) used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children six (6) years of age and older and in adults. ADHD is a behavioral condition in children that causes difficulty paying attention and focusing on tasks.
In February 2005, Health Canada, the counterpart agency to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), suspended the market authorization of Adderall XR®, a drug prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and adults.
Health Canada’s decision comes as a result of a thorough review of safety information provided by Shire Pharmaceuticals Group, the Pennsylvania manufacturer. The study indicated that there were twenty (20) international reports of sudden death in patients taking either Adderall or Adderall XR. These deaths were not associated with overdose, misuse, or abuse. There were also twelve (12) reports of stroke. None of the reported deaths or strokes occurred in Canada.
In the United States, the FDA has not suspended the sale of Adderall. Within the FDA, there was a staff memo issued expressing concerns about symptoms such as hallucinations in patients who were taking Adderall and other ADHD drugs. Current labeling does not say that the drug should be stopped if these symptoms occur.
However, the FDA recommended improved label warnings for these adverse reactions. In February 2006, an FDA advisory committee recommended an even stronger action. The Drug Safety Risk Management Advisory Committee voted 8-7 to recommend that the FDA require the highest level of warning, a black box warning for the dangers of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and sudden death from ADHD medications.
Important Adderall information was contained in a February 2006 FDA report that cited fifty-one (51) deaths in patients taking ADHD medications.
These drugs have also been tentatively linked to some cases of sudden death in children. The FDA has declared that it will conduct thorough research on the safety and side effects of Adderall and other ADHD drugs.
Several Adderall lawsuits have been filed against Shire Pharmaceuticals, though no verdicts have yet been reported. This Adderall litigation contends that Shire Pharmaceuticals was negligent and marketed a dangerous drug that injured many patients who took the drug.
PLEASE SPEAK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE DISCONTINUING THE USE OF ADDERALL OR ANY OTHER PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
If you or your child has suffered an injury after taking Adderall, an injury lawyer may be able to help you recover damages to compensate you. Your first step in recovering damages is to have your case evaluated by a qualified Adderall attorney. Have your case evaluated as quickly as you can because each state has a law that governs the amount of time allowed to file this kind of lawsuit (Adderall statute of limitations). If your Adderall lawsuit is not filed within that time period, you will lose any claims you might have had.
Please contact the law offices of d'Oliveira & Associates at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.