North Carolina Product Liability Lawyer Blog

Articles Tagged with Cancer

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) and PFAS Litigation Update, Part 2

Published on: July 25, 2023 | By Clay Hodges

Back in June I wrote a blog post about a possible $1.185 billion settlement between several defendants in the Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFF) Products Liability Litigation MDL No. 2873 (AFFF MDL). This is a large amount of money, but given how many people and municipalities may have been harmed, this is almost a drop in the bucket when it comes to how much more money could be at stake here. In fact, just a few weeks later, there was news of another viable settlement in the AFFF MDL.

The 3M Settlement

According to its June 22, 2023 press release, 3M announced a potential settlement with public water suppliers, many of which are plaintiffs in the AFFF MDL. The settlement amount will be at least $10.3 billion. This money would be used to help public water suppliers remove perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from municipal water supplies as well as fund continued water testing.

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) and PFAS Litigation Update

Published on: June 5, 2023 | By Clay Hodges

A while back I published a blog post discussing the potential health problems associated with aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). Specifically, I discussed how it contained several chemicals (PFAS) that could potentially harm humans.

At the time of that blog post, some major litigation concerning AFFF had just begun. But a few years have now passed and we might have a potential settlement involving many of the litigants. Before I get to the settlement, let me provide some background information to better put things in perspective.

How Is AFFF Potentially Harmful?

Johnson & Johnson’s Attempt to Avoid Baby Powder Payouts Fails on Appeal

Published on: February 7, 2023 | By Clay Hodges

To most people, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is a respected company and the maker of popular consumer products. However, J&J has taken quite a hit lately with both its reputation and finances.

Specifically, J&J has been accused of causing cancer in thousands of individuals due to the alleged presence of asbestos in its baby powder products. As a result, tens of thousands of plaintiffs have sued J&J, with notable results amounting to billions of dollars.

Even though J&J has successfully survived or settled many of these cases, it only takes a handful of plaintiff wins to cause serious financial damage to the company. Because of this, J&J employed a sneaky and ambitious plan called Project Plato.

Johnson & Johnson Uses “Project Plato” to Potentially Avoid Talcum Powder Payouts

Published on: February 9, 2022 | By Clay Hodges

Claims of ovarian and other cancers due to talcum powder or baby powder use have been in the news a lot lately. There has also been plenty of litigation stemming from this possible link.

Although talcum powder studies are ongoing, it has been established that some products that use talcum powder may contain small amounts of asbestos. And there’s a well-known link between asbestos and cancer (especially mesothelioma).

So where does Johnson & Johnson come in? Well, they’ve been one of the more prominent defendants in these talcum powder/asbestos cancer lawsuits. Let’s take a quick look at the baby powder litigation and then examine how Johnson & Johnson is planning to use something called “Project Plato” to deal with their recent legal and financial losses.

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) and Cancer: What You Need to Know

Published on: November 11, 2020 | By Clay Hodges

Firefighters have a host of tools available to them to fight fires. Some of these are simple, like high-pressure water. Others are more state-of-the-art, like forward-looking infrared handheld cameras and aerial drones. One of the special tools in a firefighter’s arsenal is aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF. This “fire foam” has served as a highly effective fire suppressant for about half a century. Unfortunately, exposure to this substance has been linked to serious health problems, including cancer.

Let’s take a closer look at AFFF, its relationship to cancer and what it means for those who might have been exposed.

What Is AFFF?

Zantac: An Update and an Overview of Its Link to Cancer

Published on: June 5, 2020 | By Clay Hodges

Earlier this year I wrote a blog post that discussed the recent revelation that Zantac might cause cancer. Scientists found a link between N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a likely cancer-causing substance, and ranitidine, the key ingredient in Zantac.

A few things have changed since that blog post, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking all manufacturers to immediately recall drugs containing ranitidine from the market.

Why Did the FDA Ask for a Recall?

What’s Going on with the Diabetes Drug Onglyza?

Published on: July 20, 2017 | By Clay Hodges

With the rise of Type 2 diabetes in the United States, drug makers have attempted to meet the demand for treatments to lower blood sugar levels in patients. A variety of drugs such as saxagliptin, alogliptin, linagliptin, sitagliptin, exenatide and liraglutide were developed to help patients treat their Type 2 diabetes. Several of these drugs have resulted in unexpected problems. One specific drug in particular is saxagliptin, which goes by the trade name “Onglyza.”

What Is Onglyza?

Onglyza was co-developed by Bristol-Meyers Squibb and AstraZeneca and is a DPP-4 inhibitor. It works by increasing the levels of incretin (a type of hormone) in the body. Incretins lower blood glucose levels by reducing the amount of sugar the liver makes and increasing the amount of insulin released by the pancreas.

Taxotere: Patients Allege Drug Maker Hid Permanent Hair Loss Side Effect

Published on: June 23, 2017 | By Clay Hodges

Cancer is rough. It is a disease that has caused massive suffering, and virtually every family will be affected by it at some point. Doctors and scientists have tried to treat or cure cancer in patients ever since humans have existed as a species. In fact the name of this disease originates from ancient doctors who treated cancer and observed how a tumor’s appearance reminded them of crabs (cancer is Latin for crab).

Despite these efforts at fighting cancer over thousands of years, there is no complete cure and many current treatments, such as chemotherapy, have severe side effects.

Because of chemotherapy’s significant side effects and a general inability to completely cure the patient, a cost benefit analysis has always been important for cancer patients. Many cancer patients have to ask themselves if going through several weeks or months of misery is worth adding months or years to their lives. It’s an awful choice to make.

Textured Breast Implants Linked to Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL)

Published on: May 26, 2017 | By Clay Hodges

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons almost 280,000 breast augmentation procedures took place in the United States in 2015. Given the popularity of breast implants, a wide range of breast implant products have been released in the United States and the rest of the world. One such product is the textured breast implant.

Why Are Breast Implants Textured?

The purpose of adding texturing to the breast implant surface is to help the body keep the implant in place and avoid it from shifting. Another reason is to prevent a complication called capsular contracture, which occurs when the scar tissue that forms around the implant become painful and hard.

Viagra, Levitra, Cialis May Cause Cancer: Study

Published on: August 22, 2016 | By Clay Hodges

As if erectile dysfunction were not harrowing enough. In March 2016 a published study concluded that the use of the drug sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra), and tadalafil (Cialis) “could promote melanoma in humans.”

As you probably know, melanoma is the most aggressive and most dangerous form of skin cancer. Melanoma develops when damage to skin cells (usually caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunshine or tanning beds) triggers mutations that lead the skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors. Most people think of melanoma as dark, asymmetrical moles, and in fact melanoma can develop from existing moles, but melanoma can also form directly on the skin. Melanoma is often caused by intense, sustained exposure to ultraviolet light, the kind which causes suntans and sunburns. Melanoma has been estimated to cause over 10,000 deaths in the United States each year.

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I was involved in a case for the faulty hip replacements. Clay Hodges represented me. I can't say enough about how much he has helped me. Clay was able to win multiple settlements on my behalf with most of them being the maximum amount able to be awarded. Matt J.

Clay, thank you sir for making a disheartening experience at least palatable, you and your staff were honest, caring and understanding through the entire process of my wife’s hip replacements, while monetary settlements never make the pain and suffering end, it sometimes is the only way people can fight back to right a wrong. J. V.

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