Lopez, Hodes, Milman & Skikos has been involved in a number of cases throughout the country against manufacturers of drugs containing phenylpropanolamine (PPA), including the first PPA case to go to trial in the country. The firm also has organized a group of lawyers from around the country to ensure the diligent prosecution of these cases. Lopez, Hodes, Milman & Skikos' early discovery efforts unearthed documents and other evidence pointing to these companies' liability for the injuries these products had been causing to innocent and unaware consumers for a number of years and also confirmed that the manufacturers of these products had been aware of the unreasonable risks associated with PPA for years before the product was withdrawn from the market.
Phenylpropanolamine was marketed for decades. It was widely used as a nasal decongestant (in over-the counter and prescription drug products) and for weight control (in over-the-counter products). Hundreds of over-the-counter drugs contained PPA. Some of these drugs included:
- Acutrim ® Maximum Strength
- Acutrim ® 16 Hour Steady Control
- Alka Seltzer ® Plus Children's Cold Medicine
- Alks Seltzer ® Plus Cold Medicine
- BC ® Allergy Sinus Cold Powder
- BC ® Sinus Cold Powder
- Contact ® 12 Hour
- Corocidin ® D
- Dexatrim ® Maximum Strength Caffeine-Free Caplets
- Dexatrim ® Plus Vitamins Caplet
- Dimetapp ®
- Robitussin ® CF
- Tavist-D ®
- Triaminic ®
In late 2000, scientists at Yale University's School of Medicine published results of a study, which reported that taking phenylpropanolamine increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding from the brain) particularly in women between the ages of 18 and 49. This scientific evidence was challenged by the defendant manufacturers in federal court, but as a result of the work of Lopez, Hodes, Milman & Skikos and the group of attorneys they work with throughout the country, the federal court judge determined that the Yale study is reliable scientific evidence which could be used to prove a man or woman, at any age, suffered a hemorrhagic stroke as a result of ingesting PPA.
Following publication of the Yale Study, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health advisory concerning PPA and requested that all drug companies discontinue marketing products containing the drug, and the manufacturers did, in fact, voluntarily pull their PPA-containing drugs from store shelves in November 2000. Since the withdrawal, the manufacturers have reformulated their products with a safer alternative.
The FDA's Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee (NDAC) also determined that there is an association between phenylpropanolamine and hemorrhagic stroke and recommended that phenylpropanolamine not be considered safe for over-the counter use.
Members of our firm currently serve in leadership positions in both the PPA MDL and California coordinated proceedings. The firm's PPA litigation team was recently involved in the first PPA trial; the attorneys now are actively working to reach favorable settlements for its 100+ remaining clients whose cases are still pending against manufacturers of PPA around the country.
Return to the PPA Home Page
