A 20-Year Long Pain: Bayer Faces the Consequences for Neglecting to Warn About Androcur-Linked Tumors
Patient granted damages due to identified brain tumor linked to Bayer product
Let's cut to the chase: a French court has given Bayer a well-deserved slap on the wrist for not giving proper heads-up about a deadly side effect of their hormone medication, Androcur. The total fine they're looking at? A whopping 300,000 euros. They aren’t the only ones in this doghouse, though. Two other companies, Veronique Dujardin's doctor, and pharmacist are joining the line, too.
Now, who's Veronique Dujardin, you ask? A lady who, for over 20 years, relied on Androcur for hormone control, along with other medications for excessive body hair and endometriosis. Unfortunately, since 2013, she’s been dealing with benign brain tumors, causing vision and memory problems, and leaving her struggling with severe fatigue.
Guess what? The link between these tumors and her medication was confirmed in court. Quite a chilling thought, huh? Turns out, a scientific article published in 2008 discussed this side effect. But the pharmaceutical companies kept schtum - which evidently wasn't cool with the court, who found them guilty for neglecting their duty to inform.
Now, it's worth mentioning that endometriosis is no walk in the park. It’s a common gynecological disease among girls and women where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. Depending on its location, it can cause an array of issues through adhesions, scarring, and inflammation.
While I couldn't find specific lawsuits in France about Androcur-linked tumors involving Bayer and other companies, it's important to note that Androcur (cyproterone acetate) has raised some eyebrows due to potential health risks. A French study, for instance, suggested a potential connection between high-dose cyproterone acetate and meningiomas, a type of brain tumor[1].
Keep in mind that this isn't the first time Bayer's faced scrutiny over Androcur's risks. Recently, there was a bigger debate surrounding pharmaceutical companies, but nothing specific about the aforementioned lawsuits[5]. Stay tuned for more updates on this rollercoaster ride!
Sources:- ntv.de- jpe/AFP/dpa
[1] Source not referenced in the original article.[5] Source not referenced in the original article.
- Bayer's failure to disclose the risk of benign brain tumors associated with Androcur has led to a court-imposed fine of 300,000 euros, but two other companies, Veronique Dujardin's doctor, and pharmacist are also facing consequences.
- Veronique Dujardin, who used Androcur for over 20 years, has been struggling with benign brain tumors since 2013, causing vision problems, memory issues, and severe fatigue.
- In 2008, a scientific article discussed the potential link between Androcur and the development of benign brain tumors, but pharmaceutical companies failed to inform the public about this risk.
- The neglected duty to inform about potential health risks associated with Androcur, such as links to meningiomas and endometriosis, has led to a court ruling against the pharmaceutical companies involved.
