Harmed Patients Seek Advice Of Zocor Lawyer in Wake of FDA Announcement

Many Zocor patients were shocked when the Food and Drug Administration made an announcement in June that effectively banned the distribution of 80 mg doses of the cholesterol medication. Other patients, especially ones who have already experienced some of the serious Zocor side effects, were less surprised. Still others began exploring their legal options as soon as the announcement was made. Almost all Zocor patients are now likely to have questions about the safety of the medication they are taking.
Although the Food and Drug Administration has only truly warned against prescribing the 80 mg dosage of the drug, patients taking doses as low as 20 mg in an effort to control their cholesterol levels are also at risk for serious muscle-related side effects such as Zocor muscle injury, muscle weakness, and muscle inflammation. All of these symptoms could point to a more serious side effect, known as rhabdomyolysis. Regardless of the cause, muscle pain can take many workers out of commission and prevent people from doing what they enjoy in life. These side effects are of concern especially to manual laborers who have been taking Zocor, as the Zocor side effects could completely prevent them from doing their jobs.

It is possible that the Food and Drug Administration’s announcement has opened the floodgates for an influx of lawsuits against drugmaker Merck and other manufacturers of generic simvastatin medications. However, it is also likely that drugmakers will decide to settle out of court, a tactic that can be beneficial to both parties. It is in the interest of the plaintiff especially because money is awarded to them more quickly than it would be if the case were to go through the often-lengthy judicial process, and this money can go directly to paying off medical bills or covering for lost wages.
Although the Food and Drug Administration’s announcement only truly covered patients who had been prescribed the 80 mg dose of Zocor or generic simvastatin, it may also help to legitimize claims made by patients who have been taking lower doses of the drug and have still experienced Zocor side effects. By acknowledging the connection between the side effects and the medication itself, the Food and Drug Administration has given patients an opportunity to take legal action by filing a Zocor lawsuit against the drugmakers.