Actemra, a drug treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), has been linked to many serious and potentially life-threatening medical complications like many other medications for RA.

Actemra has been associated with more than 1,100 deaths. Whether that association is that of direct causation remains to be proven. Nevertheless, the drug has side effects that include increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and Actemra interstitial lung disease.

Roche, the manufacturer of Actemra, received approval from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market the drug in 2010. Because of the nearly 1.5 million people that suffer from RA in the U.S. alone, as well as an unnamed global estimate, Roche’s aggressive marketing campaigns turned Actemra into a blockbuster drug raking in $1.7 billion in sales worldwide in 2016.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

RA is an inflammatory condition believed to be of an auto-immune nature. The body’s immune system attacks healthy joint tissue as if it were foreign, and the result is gross inflammation evident in the feet, ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and hands.

Because of the body being in this near-constant “attack-mode,” the joint tissues can become deformed, or at least severely damaged over time. Treatment for this disease is imperative.

What is Actemra Interstitial Lung Disease?

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is a condition to which RA sufferers are naturally predisposed. With this inflammatory condition of the lungs, a patient is often short of breath and subject to recurrent and severe coughing jags.

RA patients have been diagnosed with very serious cases of ILD while under treatment with Actemra. Actemra Interstitial Lung Disease is not unlike other serious cases reported while taking similarly-classified anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drugs for RA.

The biggest difference is that Roche has failed to produce any kind of warning for Actemra with respect to ILD. Other RA drug treatments have done fully warned of these risks on their packaging, so when a patient goes to choose which medication regimen to undertake, Actemra might appear to be the safer choice when in fact, it is not.

What are the Symptoms of Actemra Interstitial Lung Disease?

Actemra interstitial lung disease which is generally more severe but otherwise identical to ILD has the following symptoms:

• Discoloration of lips, skin, fingernails that is bluish (indicates a failure to get enough oxygen)
• Unexplained weight loss
• Near constant shortness of breath or difficulty getting a breath
• Unusual weakness, tiredness, fatigue
• Enlargement of the base of the fingernails (this is called clubbing)

If you or a loved one are under treatment for RA with Actemra and have experienced these symptoms, get medical treatment right away. A consultation with a knowledgeable product liability lawyer can lead to compensation you deserve for lost wages, pain and suffering, or even loss of life, if you are a surviving spouse.

In general, Actemra lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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