The July, 2012 Stryker ABGII hip implant recall affected thousands of patients—potentially as many as 10,000. Many of these patients had experienced adverse health symptoms related to their ABGII implant, soon after their surgery. For others, the symptoms had not manifested at the time of the recall, but the potential for problems remained. Many recipients of the ABGII—as well as their surgeons—were shocked to find that the hip implant they believed to be safe, came with many serious health risks. Although the Stryker ABGII hip implant is not considered a “true” metal-on-metal hip implant, the health issues associated with the ABGII are much the same.

Iclusig is among only a handful of drugs used in the treatment of leukemia and is part of the class of Kinase inhibitors. Kinase inhibitors are also used to treat cancers such as melanoma, lung cancer, renal cancer and breast cancer and are used in certain instances to treat rheumatoid arthritis or prevent organ transplant rejection. Kinase inhibitors work by stopping the growth of cancer cells and preventing the spread of those cells. More specifically, Iclusig is a tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, meaning it disrupts enzymes within cancer cells. Iclusig is prescribed for those patients whose particular cancers are hard-to-treat or impervious to other forms of treatment including other tyrosine-kinase inhibitor drugs. 

A recent suspension of sales of the drug Iclusig, used in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia, may have a ripple effect in the future. A paper slated to be published in the New England Journal of Medicine on November 7^th regarding the Phase II Iclusig Pace trial reportedly now requires modification in order to add toxicity and adverse event data following the FDA’s investigation. Even worse, those patients currently enrolled in an Iclusig clinical trial, or those taking the medication outside the trial may be faced with an agonizing decision: continue the drug which could potentially make the difference between a fatal disease and a chronic, but treatable disease, or stop taking the drug due to the high risk of negative health effects.

Drug possession lawyers in Texas can assist both native Texans as well as those who are visiting the state and find themselves in trouble for drug possession. Texas is well-known for their tough stance on controlled substances, and Texas drug possession lawyers have the necessary experience to potentially lessen the severity of the consequences of the drug charges. As Texas drug possession lawyers are aware, over 80% of all arrests in Texas are for drug-related crimes. Over half of those arrests involve user-level marijuana possessions.