CHEMICAL AGENT USED IN MRIS DEEMED DANGEROUS TO PATIENTS.
About one-third of patients who get an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) are injected with chemicals to improve the MRI images. Those chemicals are called gadolinium-based contrast agents, or GBCAs.
Drug companies promised that the body could quickly eliminate GBCAs on its own. Yet, new studies show that they can actually remain in the brain, skin, bones, and other organs for months and years. As the evidence grows and more doctors and experts speak out, patients are now filing lawsuits for the harm done to them by GBCAs.
NEW GBCA WARNINGS BY THE FDA AND THE DRUG COMPANY
The FDA has known about GBCAs’ harmful effects for more than ten years but chose not to warn MRI patients or the public. Back in 2006, FDA documents showed a link between GBCAs and a disease called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, or NSF.
NSF affects the kidneys, and in 2007, the FDA released warnings that people with weak kidneys should avoid GBCAs entirely. Six years later, in 2015, the FDA released another warning saying that, despite previous belief, GBCAs could stay in patients’ bodies, in all major organs.
The company that makes GBCAs released a similar warning in 2018, telling doctors and hospitals that the chemicals could stay in patients’ bodies long-term. The company emphasized that the patients with highest risk of retaining GBCAs are people taking multiple lifetime doses, pregnant women, children, and people with inflammatory health conditions, like asthma or hepatitis.
FIVE BRAND NAME GBCAS ARE LINKED TO THE HIGHEST RATES OF RETENTION:
- Omniscan
- Optimark
- Eovist
- Magnevist
- MultiHance
GBCAS SIDE EFFECTS
The human body does not naturally produce GBCAs. We react to foreign chemicals entering our body in many different ways. Patients injected with GBCAs have reported side effects including:
- Gadolinium storage condition
This refers to extra gadolinium being stored in the body.
- Gadolinium deposition disease
This is when patients feel frequent and/or painful symptoms from gadolinium in the body. Pain is often felt in the arms, legs, or bones, or can manifest as brain fog.
- Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF)
This can look like a skin disease, causing large areas of the skin to swell, darken, tighten, or thicken. It can also affect the heart, kidneys, and lungs, or cause muscles and tendons in the joints to shorten.
GBCAS TOXICITY LAWSUITS
The first GBCAs lawsuit was filed in 2016, causing many more patients to come forward and file similar lawsuits.
If you or someone you love has suffered from GBCAs side effects, we can help. We can travel anywhere in the country to meet with you about your legal options and answer whatever questions you may have.
For a free legal consultation with a Gadolinium Lawsuits Lawyer serving nationwide, call (800) 316-2828
Resources
- September 2017 FDA meeting and warning
- September 2017 FDA meeting and warning (PowerPoint)
- Information on Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF)
- Article by actor Chuck Norris on his wife’s GBCAs poisoning
Contact one of our experienced GBCAs toxicity lawyers today, free of charge, at (800) 316-2828.
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