Amanda Antell  |  December 17, 2013

Category: Legal News

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Fresenius GranuFlo Diabetes LawsuitMississippi plaintiff Ann Cannon is suing Fresenius Medical Care for the wrongful death of her sister, Claudine McKinnie. Cannon alleges that as direct result of using the company’s dialysis products GranuFlo and NaturaLyte, her sister suffered sudden cardiac attack, which resulted in her death.

McKinnie had been receiving dialysis for her kidney failure for several years, using GranuFlo and NaturaLyte for her treatment. However, on June 1, 2010, McKinnie suddenly died form cardio-pulmonary failure after a routine procedure. In other words, McKinnie had fallen victim to sudden cardiac death, an infamous side effect associated with GranuFlo and NaturaLyte.

Cannon had not filed this lawsuit for several years until after the decedent’s demise, because she had not been aware that this possible occurrence could happen from these products. Cannon states that if her sister or her physicians had known about this side effect, she would have never used them. However, there were no warnings or indications on the products, nor were there any special instructions or warnings for the medical administrators of these products to follow. Additionally, Fresenius made no effort to warn the plaintiff, decedent or their physicians of these possibilities, according to the lawsuit.

So for being directly responsible for manufacturing, selling, distributing, and marketing dangerous products, Cannon is suing Fresenius Medical Care. The charges include: negligence, false advertising, concealing information, and misrepresenting a product.

Overview of the Case

GranuFlo and NaturaLyte are dialysate concentrates designed and manufactured to treat kidney failure. They are manufactured by Fresenius Medical Care, the largest dialysis medical company in the world; GranuFlo and NaturaLyte were approved in 2003 and 2007 respectively. Ever since their take off, the products were met with praise and market demand, with many people enjoying the efficiency of treatments. However, despite the initial market success, Fresenius has recently come under fire over these dialysis products because of incident reports indicating the products to cause side effects such as: sudden cardiac death, stroke, and other fatal complications.

GranuFlo is a dry dialysis product which dissolves into a liquid solution that is to be pumped into the patient, while NaturaLyte is its liquid cousin, and is used for the same purpose. Both products work by converting their bicarbonate components into acetates which are then used to help treat kidney failure. Unfortunately, this very process raises the body’s pH levels to dangerously high levels, which can cause the bloodstream to slowdown. This allows for blood clots to form, which leads to the mentioned side effects, as well as additional complications.

According to court documents, Fresenius could have possible known about these possible side effects as early as 2005. This suspicion was later confirmed in 2011 when an internal memo was leaked to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from the company. This internal memo was initially sent to the company’s physicians and clinics on November 4, 2011, warning that there was a six to eight times greater of a risk of patients suffering from sudden cardiac attack, when they used GranuFlo and NaturaLyte. However, this memo was leaked to the FDA on March 29, 2012, which sparked a Class 1 recall of these products.

Many of the lawsuits filed against Fresenius Medical Care accuse the company of negligence for deliberately keeping such information hidden. Cannon is one of these plaintiffs, as she seeks justice for her sister’s death. Her lawsuit is seeking damages for medical compensation, pain and suffering, and other punitive charges.

This case is labeled as: Anne Cannon vs. Fresenius Medical Care, Case 1:13-cv-12945-DPW, in the Circuit Court of Washington County, Mississippi.

File a GranuFlo or NaturaLyte Lawsuit Today

If you believe that you or a loved one have been the victim of a GranuFlo or NaturaLyte injury, you have legal options. Please visit the Kidney Dialysis Heart Attack GranuFlo and NaturaLyte Recall Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. There, you can submit your claim for a free legal review and if it qualifies for legal action, a seasoned GranuFlo or NaturaLyte lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation. You will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees. The GranuFlo or NaturaLyte attorneys working this investigation do not get paid until you do.

 

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