GranuFlo Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed against Fresenius
By Robert J. Boumis
Constance Brown of Mississippi has sued Fresenius Medical Care over complications allegedly stemming from their dialysis products GranuFlo and NaturaLyte. Brown has filed the GranuFlo lawsuit on behalf of herself and as a representative of other beneficiaries of Joyce Faulkner, who died in November 2006 after receiving dialysis with Fresenius products.
Per the GranuFlo wrongful death lawsuit, Fresenius products are used for the majority of American dialysis patients. These products include the acid concentrates GranuFlo and NaturaLyte, which are used to create dialysis solutions with a strong enough concentration gradient to draw biological wastes across semi-permeable membranes in dialysis machines. However, evidence has mounted that these products promote a medical condition called metabolic alkalosis, a situation wherein the blood pH rises too high. Metabolic alkalosis can disrupt many vital reactions with the body and trigger sudden cardiac death. In addition to producing dialysis fluids, Fresenius operates dialysis centers throughout the country.
Brown alleges that Fresenius knew about the risks associated with their products. According to the GranuFlo lawsuit, Fresenius recognized a “clinical crisis” stemming from alkalosis-related complications as early as 2010. In November 2011, Fresenius issued an internal memo to Fresenius-affiliated dialysis centers warning of the risks associated with their products. Based on this information, the GranuFlo lawsuit asserts that Fresenius knew about the risks associated with their products.
Brown further alleges that not only was Fresenius aware of the risks, but that they actively concealed these risks, endangering lives for profit. Per the GranuFlo lawsuit, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) developed an interest in Fresenius. In response to the FDA’s inquiries, Fresenius issued a memo to non-Fresenius clinics that used their dialysis products. The GranuFlo lawsuit characterizes this 2012 memo as “scientifically-ambiguous” and asserts that it contained “less actionable information” than the earlier internal memorandum, and had cited a fraction of the peer-reviewed sources found in the original.
The GranuFlo lawsuit alleges that these actions constitute negligence and fraud. Brown seeks wrongful death benefits for Joyce Faulkner’s survivors.
The GranuFlo wrongful death lawsuit is formally titled Constance Faulkner Brown, et al. v. Fresenius USA Inc., et al., Case No. 5:13-cv-00156-DCB-MTP, in the Circuit Court of Wilkinson County, Mississippi.
If you’ve experienced complications from Fresenius dialysis products like GranuFlo or NaturaLyte, your life could be completely turned upside down. A medical crisis can require hospital time, which usually means mounting medical bills and lost wages. For some patients, heart issues can cause death, leaving their survivors to cope with the emotional burden of the loss of a loved one, not to mention financial challenges like final expenses and the loss of potential income. But you need to remember that regardless of the situation you’ve found yourself facing, you still have rights, and there are steps you can take to regain a measure of control over your situation.
All medical device, dangerous drug and medical class action and lawsuit news updates are listed in the Drug and Medical Device section of Top Class Actions.
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