Daiichi Sankyo is facing a new Benicar lawsuit from a Texas woman who suffered severe gastrointestinal side effects.

The plaintiff’s complications varied in severity from diarrhea to kidney failure, with the woman alleging that Daiichi Sankyo failed to mention any such side effects on the drug’s label.

Plaintiff Mary K. is filing her Benicar lawsuit against the Japanese pharmaceutical giant, after she unexpectedly suffered severe injuries.

Mary was prescribed Benicar due to complications linked to hypertension and high blood pressure, without any prior knowledge of the potential gastrointestinal side effects.

Soon after starting the drug, Mary began suffering a number of unexplained symptoms not mentioned on Benicar’s label. The side effects Mary suffered include malabsorption, dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, colitis, and kidney failure, causing long term medical issues for Mary, and possibly have caused permanent intestinal damage.

At some point in time, Mary learned of the severe gastrointestinal side effects associated with the popular medication that resulted in her filing a Benicar lawsuit.

Her claim is being filed as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 2606), where it will join a number of other Benicar lawsuits alleging similar claims. Each of the claimants allege that Benicar had caused them to suffer injuries similar to Mary, with diarrhea and gastrointestinal side effects being some of the most frequently cited claims.

In addition, each of the claimants allege that Daiichi Sankyo failed to warn them against these Benicar complications.

With Mary also suffering kidney failure in alleged result of Benicar, she is filing punitive damages against Daiichi Sankyo in her Benicar lawsuit for medical compensation and other applicable damages.

Overview of Benicar Side Effects

Benicar (Olmesartan) was approved to treat hypertension and high blood pressure by the FDA in 2002, and has become one of the most popular treatment choices for this purpose. Since its approval, over 11 million people have been prescribed Benicar.

The medication lowers blood pressure by helping the blood vessels dilate. In combination with healthy diet and exercise, Benicar would ideally extend a patient’s life. However, a number of patients started reporting severe gastrointestinal side effects soon after Benicar was released.

Early on, medical experts were unsure of the link between Benicar and these side effects because they resembled the symptoms of celiac disease. However, after the Mayo Clinic conducted a study, the link between Benicar and gastrointestinal side effects was observed.

The study was conducted between 2008 and 2011, observing 22 Benicar patients who suffered celiac symptoms. Researchers noticed that none of the patients tested positive for the condition, with Benicar being the only common link between the subjects.

The Mayo Clinic released this information to the FDA, which caused the agency to require a warning update to Benicar’s warning label in July 2013.  But these warnings came to too late to many patients, as they already suffered Benicar gastrointestinal side effects.

Many of these former patients have chosen to file legal action against Daiichi Sankyo, for various charges of negligence. Potential claimants should consult a specialized lawyer, to determine if they have a Benicar lawsuit.

The Benicar Lawsuit is Mary K. v. Daiichi Sankyo, Case No. 1:16-cv-00782-RBK-JS, in the U.S. Disctirct Court of New Jersey, Camden Vicinage.