FDA Banned Darvocet | Darvocet Side Effects

It’s been one year since the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) banned Darvocet and Darvon and the number of lawsuits being filed against Darvon manufacturer Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals continues to rise. The FDA banned Darvon and Darvocet because propoxyphene, which is the active ingredient in both painkillers, was found to cause Darvocet side effects such as arrhythmia and heart attack. The drugs were also linked to addiction and overdose.

Darvocet lawsuits before FDA ban were not uncommon

Though the FDA didn’t ban the two painkillers until Nov. 19, 2010, a Darvocet lawsuit filing prior to 2010 wasn’t uncommon. When the company released the drugs in 1972, users started having complaints about Darvocet side effects such as heart problems, suicide and overdose. As a result, several Darvocet lawsuits were filed.

When FDA banned Darvocet a surge in lawsuits followed

The 2010 ban resulted in a surge in Darvocet lawsuits, many of which are being consolidated under the MDL in the Eastern District of Kentucky. The MDL (multidistrict litigation) was created to help consolidate and hopefully expedite Darvocet settlements. As of Oct. 24, 2011, more than 100 cases from several states had been consolidated under the Darvocet MDL.

 Darvocet MDL

Each future Darvocet lawsuit will be handled by the MDL in the Eastern District of Kentucky per orders issued by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) Aug. 16, 2011. The order states that all federal Darvocet lawsuits be transferred to the MDL. The MDL is moving forward with a timeline designed to quickly move the cases forward in 2012.

The FDA Ban of Darvocet in 2010

Though medical practitioners, consumer advocates and the FDA all showed concern about the health impacts of propoxyphene prior to the 2010 ban, the FDA banned Darvocet & Darvon after a study was released showing the harmful impact the drug had on the heart.

Darvocet heart arrhythmia

Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals completed the study at the request of the FDA. The results of the study showed that Darvocet use can lead to a significant increase in heart arrhythmias, which are irregular heartbeats that can lead to heart attack or death. Though the United Kingdom banned Darvon and Darvocet in 2005, it took the Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals study highlighting some of the most damaging Darvocet side effects for the U.S. agency to finally ban the drugs.

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