Baycol’s Manufacturer

Baycol was manufactured and distributed by corporate giant Bayer AG, and the company has been one of the leading pharmaceutical manufacturers in the world for several years, generating billions of dollars in annual revenue.

Baycol’s Intended Use

Baycol is a drug that was originally formulated for use by those who were attempting to lower and control their cholesterol levels. Baycol is a member of the family of drugs known as ‘statins,’ and the one of the intended benefits of using Baycol, besides lowering a patient’s cholesterol, was to minimize the risk of future heart disease and failure.

Baycol’s Side Effects

There have been several side effects linked to the use of Baycol and other statins, and some are relatively minor while others are extremely severe. The most serious side effect linked to Baycol is the tendency for users to develop a rare condition known as rhabdomyolysis, which is a disease that affects the internal systems of the body.

Rhabdomyolysis is a progressive condition whereby serious damage to the muscle cells in the body can lead to the release of muscle cell contents into the patient’s bloodstream. If this condition is not discovered and treated, it can lead to irreparable damage to the kidneys and other internal organs that will ultimately lead to the death of the patient.

If you have taken Baycol and are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Calf pain
• Back pain
• Overall body pain
• Persistent fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Feelings of weakness
• Abnormally dark urine

You need to contact your contact your primary medical care provider immediately for a full medical evaluation. You may be exhibiting early signs of rhabdomyolysis, and as stated above, this condition can ultimately prove to be fatal if it isn’t diagnosed and treated promptly.

FDA Warnings on Baycol

The FDA ultimately got involved with the problems that were being reported in conjunction with the use of Baycol. The most prominent publicity that centered on this medication was generated via a press release that was distributed on August 8, 2001. The press release was issued by the FDA, but was merely a reporting-type of press release rather than an announcement of action being taken by the FDA.

In the release, Bayer AG announced that it was voluntarily recalling Baycol from the market, and this recall was based on evidence linking Baycol to the potentially fatal condition described above. Baycol was originally released onto the marketplace in 1997, which means that patients were unwittingly placing themselves in danger for a period of four years.

Your Legal Rights Regarding Baycol

As you see, taking Baycol has led to serious, sometimes fatal results for many people. If this has happened to you or someone you love, you do have legal rights and options, depending on the circumstances of your situation and based on the recommendation of a defective drugs attorney at the Oklahoma law firm of Atkins & Markoff.

Depending on how you came to use Baycol, you could be looking at two different theories for your case. The first would be a theory of products liability. This is a theory that’s been used in several other lawsuits, and the theory states that the plaintiff must prove that the drug was defective and that the patient suffered harm as a result of this defect.

Another theory that could be possible would be one of medical malpractice, although this theory is decidedly less common than that of products liability. A medical malpractice claim in relation to Baycol would generally assert that your doctor knew of the serious problems associated with Baycol and recommended that you take it anyway. This would place potential liability on your primary medical care provider.