A Tennessee resident filed a Benicar lawsuit against drug manufacturers Daiichi Sankyo Pharmaceuticals and Forest Laboratories LLC., alleging the companies failed to adequately test their hypertension medication Benicar (olmesartan) and exposed consumers to a defective and dangerous drug.

Daiichi Sankyo and Forest Laboratories developed and marketed the popular prescription medication Benicar to treat high blood pressure and hypertension. The drug is designed to block angiotension II, allowing a patient’s blood vessels to expand, thereby reducing blood pressure.

Plaintiff Cheryl T. claims in the Benicar lawsuit that she was injured as a result of using olmesartan, the medication prescribed to treat hypertension and high blood pressure. According to Cheryl, side effects of Benicar caused her to develop serious gastrointestinal injuries including severe diarrhea, weight loss, nausea and vomiting.

The Benicar lawsuit further alleges the drug companies engaged in falsely advertising and promoting misleading information on side effects of Benicar and marketing it as a safe and efficient treatment for high blood pressure, despite knowing that the drug was inefficiently tested and that its harmful side effects outweighed any potential benefits.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Benicar for sale in April 2002. Since then it has become the most widely-prescribed blood pressure medication in the United States.

Side Effects of Benicar

There are more serious injuries associated with Benicar as well. Some patients who took Benicar report developing serious intestinal problems. Severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, severe weight loss, and malnutrition are indications that something may be wrong.

Many patients may require hospitalization due to Benicar side effects, and some may develop more serious complications. Both patients and doctors have reported cases where stopping Benicar use caused patients to recover.

A 2012 article published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings concluded that Benicar is associated with a serious intestinal condition called severe sprue-like enteropathy.

In July 2013, the FDA announced Benicar would receive a label update to reflect the risk of sprue-like enteropathy. According to the FDA’s drug safety communication, this GI disorder can cause symptoms that include chronic, severe diarrhea with substantial weight loss and is often misdiagnosed as Celiac disease. The condition may take months or years to develop and may require hospitalization, the agency said.

Filing a Benicar Lawsuit

Patients who suffered from severe diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems after taking the blood pressure medication, like Cheryl, may opt to file a Benicar lawsuit against Daiichi Sankyo and Forest Laboratories for compensation for their injuries and economic losses.  Drug companies have a duty to protect the public and properly conduct research and testing before making drugs like Benicar available to the public.

Cheryl’s Benicar lawsuit, which was filed on Jan. 29, is seeking all compensatory, exemplary, and punitive damages, along with court fees for Daichii Sankyo’s alleged negligence in failing to provide proper warnings regarding the severity of Benicar’s side effects. The Benicar lawsuit indicates a demand for a jury trial for this case.

The Benicar Lawsuit is Case No: 1:16-cv-00514-RBK-JS, in the U.S. District Court District for the District of New Jersey, Camden Vicinage.