Zyprexa Attorneys, William Kherkher

Zyprexa - A History of the FDA's Involvement

Zyprexa is a drug that's manufactured by Eli Lilly, and Company, and it's been in use for years to help treat patients with different psychological disorders, including schizophrenia and dementia. These are serious psychological maladies, and the need for medication for these patients has been quite strong for quite some time.

However, a few years after Zyprexa hit the market, problems soon began to arise, and these problems that were linked to this drug included the development of diabetes in patients who took Zyprexa at a much higher rate than the averages that were present in the general population. The problem grew so prevalent that ultimately, the FDA had to get involved. Below is a brief look at the FDA's involvement with Zyprexa.

Zyprexa/FDA History

March 1, 2004
On this date, the FDA issued a "Dear Doctor" letter, which is a common early step that the FDA takes when news of a problem with a prescription medication comes to light. This letter stated, in part, that:

"Eli Lilly and Company would like to inform you of important labeling changes regarding Zyprexa (olanzapine). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked all manufacturers of atypical antipsychotic medications, including Lilly, to add a Warning statement describing the increased risk of hyperglycemia and diabetes in patients taking these medications, including Zyprexa."

January 26, 2005
The FDA issued a letter that dealt with mistaken dispensations of the medication, and the relevant text from the letter follows:

"Eli Lilly and Company has received reports of medication dispensing or prescribing errors between our atypical antipsychotic ZyPREXA (olanzapine) and the antihistamine ZYRTEC (cetirizine HCI) marketed by Pfizer. These reports include instances where Zyprexa was incorrectly dispensed for Zyrtec and vice versa, leading to various adverse events in some instances. These errors could result in unnecessary adverse events or potential relapse in patients suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder."

Since Then
These are only the first two instances of FDA involvement with Zyprexa. However, since the beginning of 2005, no fewer than seven label changes have been reported by the FDA in accordance with the new links between those taking Zyprexa and the potential for the development of diabetes.

As a result of all of these issues, Zyprexa has come under fire. If you have been injured as a result of taking this medication, contact a Zyprexa lawyer at Williams Kherkher to schedule a free initial consultation. Many claims have been filed and settled against the drug's manufacturer, and you could have a right to a recovery as well.