Redux & Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) Lawsuit

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Redux, generically known as dexfenfluramine, was created by Interneuron Pharmaceuticals and marketed by Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories as a medication to assist individuals with weight loss. Acting as an appetite suppressant, the medication affects the serotonin levels in the body inhibiting the brain from sending messages of hunger. Used as a weight loss aid by many Americans in the mid-1990’s, Redux was recalled by the FDA in 1997 because of a correlation found between Redux and an increased risk of cardiovascular side effects, such as pulmonary arterial hypertension, lung disease, and heart failure. Thousands of people have been affected by serious adverse side effects related to Redux usage.

One of the most serious complications associated with Redux is a condition known as pulmonary arterial hypertension. Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rare disorder affecting the blood vessels of the lungs. These blood vessels become stiff and restrict the flow of blood to the lungs from the heart. The heart works harder to compensate causing heart failure once the strain becomes too great. The condition is considered life-threatening with an average survival rate of three years past diagnosis. Currently, there is no cure available for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

With three months of usage, Redux users increased their risk of developing pulmonary arterial hypertension by 30%. The mortality rate of the condition is high because pulmonary arterial hypertension is usually diagnosed in the later stages of the disease, when serious complications have already occurred. Pulmonary arterial hypertension has no cure and is extremely difficult to treat. Typical symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension can take up to ten years to appear after exposure to the agent that caused the condition. Pulmonary arterial hypertension can cause a large amount of damage to the heart, blood vessels, and lungs before symptoms ever appear. Experts estimate that over 100,000 people have developed pulmonary arterial hypertension in the United States and less than a quarter of them are aware that they have the condition.

Millions of individuals have taken Redux and similar weight loss medications, with thousands of them experiencing the adverse effects associated with the drugs. Many of the medications have been pulled from the shelves by the US Food and Drug Administration due to the high risk of developing serious complications such as pulmonary arterial hypertension. The manufacturers were also ordered to stop selling and marketing the drugs in the United States. At the time of the Redux recall, it is believed that close to 6 million people regularly used Redux and similar medications.

The Redux recall opened the door for thousands of lawsuits against the manufacturers of Redux and the other weight loss drugs known to cause cardiovascular problems. The lawsuits and settlements to date have cost these manufacturers billions of dollars in compensation to individuals who have experienced these adverse events, with more suits being filed annually. New cases of pulmonary arterial hypertension linked to the consumption of Redux will continue to arise, as many cases are not diagnosed until symptoms of the condition appear, which could be as long as ten years after the individual stopped taking the medication.

Do I have a Redux or Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Lawsuit?

The Defective Drug Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus exclusively on the representation of plaintiffs in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) and Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (IPAH) lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new Redux cases in all 50 states.

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