Mylan Fentanyl Pain Patch
For
many years, Duragesic was the only fentanyl patch. However, the patent
for Duragesic expired in 2005, opening the door for generic brands. The
first such generic brand to be sold in the United States was the Mylan
Fentanyl Transdermal System. The Mylan patch is different from the
Duragesic patch in that it utilizes the matrix design as opposed to the
reservoir design.In July of 2005, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory. This warning stated that "deaths and overdoses have occurred in patients using both the brand name product Duragesic and the generic product." The generic version of Duragesic is called Sandoz. In December of 2007, as part of this continuing investigation, the FDA issued a second Public Health Advisory which stated, "The FDA has continued to receive reports of deaths and life-threatening side effects after doctors have inappropriately prescribed the patch or after people incorrectly used it."
The reservoir design has a front and back and is sealed along the edges to create a "reservoir" where a gel containing fentanyl is placed. This design also utilizes a membrane which limits the amount of fentanyl that enters the skin. The matrix design of the Mylan patch does not have a reservoir or a rate control membrane. The matrix design utilizes only one sheet of film which has an adhesive attached to it, causing the patch to stick to the body. The fentanyl is contained within the adhesive.
Although a Mylan matrix patch cannot leak, numerous deaths from use of Mylan patches nevertheless have been reported. These deaths may have been as a result of a defective patch.
On June 19, 2007,we participated in and helped achieve a $5.5 million jury verdict that was awarded in a case against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary, Alza Corporation, the manufacturers of the Duragesic fentanyl transdermal pain patch. This case, the first Federal trial involving the Duragesic fentanyl patch, was tried in the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida, West Palm Beach Division. The verdict was achieved for the family of a 28-year-old Florida man (Adam Hendelson) who died while wearing a Duragesic fentanyl drug patch.
On November 17, 2008, a $16,560,000 verdict was handed down for the family of a Cicero, Illinois woman who died while wearing a Duragesic fentanyl transdermal pain patch. After a 3 week trial, a Chicago jury found two Johnson & Johnson subsidiaries liable for the death of 38-year-old Janice DiCosolo, a mother of three. On February 15, 2004, Mrs. DiCosolo died as a result of using a defective Duragesic patch that her doctor had prescribed to alleviate the intense pain she experienced from a neurological condition called "reflex sympathetic dystrophy."
If you or a loved one has suffered injury, or a family member has died as a result of using any brand of fentanyl transdermal pain patch, please fill out our case review form to the right of this page for a free consultation.
& Warnings
$16.5 Million Award in First Federal Fentanyl Patch Trial
Jury Verdict Awarded
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the article...
J&J Units Should Pay $25 Million for Death,
Jury Told
11/14/08 - Bloomberg
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the article...
Jury awards $13.3M to family in fentanyl
pain-patch death
10/30/08 - Orlando Sentinel
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the article...
J&J Fentanyl Pain Patch Gave Woman
Fatal Dose, Lawyer Jim Orr Tells Chicago Jury
10/30/08 - Bloomberg
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the article...
Actavis Recalls Certain Fentanyl Patches
in the US as Precaution
2/17/08 - Actavis, Inc. Press Release
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PRICARA™ Recalls 25 mcg/hr Duragesic® (fentanyl
transdermal system) CII Pain Patches
2/12/08 - Johnson & Johnson Press Release
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Second Safety Warning on Fentanyl Skin Patch
12/21/07 - FDA
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$5.5 Million Award in First Federal Fentanyl Patch Trial
6/19/07 - PRNewsWire
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Jury Deciding if Pain Patch Leaked, Killing
Man, 28
6/19/07 - Palm Beach Post
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