US Drug Watchdog Stresses the Urgency for DePuy Pinnacle All-Metal Hip Implant Recipients to Ask About a Specific Blood Test that Can Detect Premature Failure

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The US Drug Watchdog says, "We want every US recipient of an all-metal hip implant to call us for the code for a specific blood test that has been designed to measure the levels of cobalt, or chromium levels in a recipients blood stream. If the levels are elevated, the recipient should call us at 866-714-6466 so we can try to explain possible options up to and including joining one of the class actions that are aimed at compensation for individuals who have suffered a failure. Not only are we worried about the actual all-metal hip implant failing, and the crippling impact this can have on the recipient, we are also incredibly concerned about what long term elevated levels of cobalt, and chromium will do to someone's body." http://USDrugWatchdog.Com

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140416/75653

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140416/75652

Important note from the US Drug Watchdog: According to the BBC on February 28th 2012, "The government's health regulator has advised that patients who have undergone large head metal-on-metal hip replacements should be monitored annually for life. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said around 49,000 UK patients with large-head hip implants out of 65,000 with all-metal hips were in a high-risk category. The regulator said that they should have blood tests to check for metal ions, and magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRI) if they have raised metal levels or show adverse symptoms. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17192520

Updates on litigation involving metal-on-metal hip implants manufacturers that are being sued for premature failures from the US Drug Watchdog:

* DePuy Pinnacle Case Number U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas MDL#2244. Legal sources are now telling the US Drug Watchdog that in order to be compensated for a DePuy Pinnacle all- metal hip implant a failure must have occurred that required revision surgery, or a medical doctor now must be recommending revision surgery because the device has failed, or because metalosis has been diagnosed.

* Stryker Rejuvenate Modular &ABG II-recalled June 2012.  

* Biomet M2a Magnum Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacement U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. (Case No. 3:12-cv-3476) filed on July 2nd 2012. The US Drug Watchdog says, "For some recipients of the Biomet M2A, and M2 Magnum there may be a looming statute of limitations issue of April 15th 2014 to get identified by the court if your hip implant has failed. Please call us for more information."  

* Wright Medical Technology, Inc., Conserve Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation ("MDL No. 2329"). This is now pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

The US Drug Watchdog says, "If you have a friend or loved one who is a recipient of a metal-on-metal hip implant that has already failed, or is showing symptoms of a failure, or if a recipient is concerned about a premature failure, please call us anytime at 866-714-6466. We want to make certain all metal-on-metal hip implant recipients get meaningful help, and assistance." http://USDrugWatchdog.com

For attribution purposes please also refer to the January 2013 notification by the US Food and Drug Administration about all-metal hip implants: http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/ImplantsandProsthetics/MetalonMetalHipImplants/ucm241766.htm

Media Contact:
M. Thomas Martin, 866-714-6466

Read more news from US Drug Watchdog.

SOURCE US Drug Watchdog

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