Baycol Pharmaceutical Injury Claims
Baycol Drug Recall Litigation

Over a relatively short time, Baycol became the most popular among a new and highly effective class of cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins), with annual sales projected at $800 million for 2001. But then came a dire discovery: Baycol was associated with 31 deaths due to rhabdomyolysis, a muscle disorder that can lead to renal failure.

Now, the government is investigating reports that Bayer A.G., manufacturer of the drug, knew about Baycol's dangerous side effects and was slow to report them to the FDA. There is a possibility that this investigation could lead to criminal sanctions.

On Aug. 8, 2001, only four years after its approval by the FDA, the manufacturer of Baycol, Bayer A.G., recalled Baycol from the U.S. market. Baycol was withdrawn because of reports of rhabdomyolysis. A flurry of lawsuits has followed on behalf of some of the 12 million people who were taking Baycol (cerivastatin) at its sales peak.

Baycol was one of six drugs called statins that came on the market and worked by blocking a liver enzyme necessary for the production of cholesterol. But Baycol was associated with significantly more cases of rhabdomyolysis, and the FDA said further testing showed a clear link between the drug and the disease. rhabdomyolysis destroys muscle cells and releases waste product into the bloodstream, which can then flood the kidneys with waste or clog the pathways to the kidneys. Baycol users faced possible renal failure.

The condition is more likely in elderly people who used higher doses of Baycol (also called Lipobay when sold in other countries) and those who took Baycol in combination with another drug, gemfibrozil (or Lopid by brand name).

Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include abnormally colored urine, usually a brown or dark red, due to cellular waste flowing to the kidneys, and also muscle pain, tenderness, weakness, fever, nausea, vomiting and general malaise. Pain from the disease can be generalized throughout the body or involve specific muscle groups, most commonly the lower back and calves.

Kline & Specter, P.C. is a national pharmaceutical litigation law firm. We have represented Baycol side effects victims throughout the United States. Click here to find out about more about Kline & Specter including our Doctor/Lawyer Team and our Notable Cases.

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If you or a loved one has been harmed by Baycol or another defective drug, you need a law firm with the resources and the experience to bring you justice. Please call or e-mail the Baycol Rhabdomyolisis attorneys at Kline & Specter. We'll evaluate your claim for free and we don't get paid unless you do. Our expertise will help you get the compensation you deserve.

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This page was last updated on January 31, 2007.