PARKER WAICHMAN LLP – KEYTRUDA CLINICAL TRIAL LAWSUITS
Parker Waichman LLP is accepting potential Keytruda Clinical Trial Injury and Death Lawsuits on behalf of individuals who were enrolled in Keytruda clinical trials involving the use of Keytruda in combination with other therapies. If you suffered injuries from a Keytruda clinical trial or lost a loved one who was involved in a Keytruda clinical trial, compensation may be available, and you should discuss the matter with a qualified lawyer.
Keytruda – Clinical Trials on Investigational Use in Multiple Myeloma Patients Leads to Injuries and Death
What is Keytruda?
Keytruda, which is manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc., is a chemotherapy drug administered intravenously that was first approved for use in 2014. Keytruda is currently used to treat the following cancers:
- Melanoma (skin cancer);
- Advanced melanoma;
- Non-small cell lung cancer;
- Head and neck squamous cell cancer;
- Classical Hodgkin lymphoma;
- Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma;
- Bladder/urinary tract cancer;
- Stomach cancer; and
- Cervical cancer.
Merck continues to sponsor clinical trials to investigate the use of Keytruda to treat other types of cancers both on its own and in conjunction with other cancer drugs. While clinical trials are necessary to evaluate a drug’s safety and effectiveness, such clinical trials can quickly become dangerous when patients begin to suffer injuries and deaths.
In 2017, Merck sponsored two clinical trials that were investigating the use of Keytruda along with two other types of cancer therapies in patients with multiple myeloma. The trials quickly came to a halt and were canceled as soon as patients began suffering deaths. The reasons why the use of Keytruda in combination with other therapies for patients with multiple myeloma is so dangerous are not clear at this time. All that the public knows is that the clinical trials did not go well and that patients suffering from multiple myeloma could be at risk of suffering injuries or death if given Keytruda, especially when the drug is given in combination with other cancer therapies.
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects plasma cells, which are typically found in a person’s bone marrow. When a person develops multiple myeloma, the cancer damages the bones (causing them to weaken), the immune system, the kidneys, and red blood cell count.
FDA Statement on the Risks Associated with the Use of Keytruda in Patients with Multiple Myeloma
Shortly after multiple patients died from receiving cancer treatment as part of Merck’s two investigational clinical trials in 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a public health statement informing the medical community that the use of Keytruda (especially in combination with other therapies) in patients with multiple myeloma can cause injuries and deaths. In fact, the FDA’s statement indicates that there were “excessive deaths” linked to the two clinical trials, and the trials were subsequently halted. Aside from the FDA’s statement, the public has not learned about the specifics of why the Keytruda clinical trials resulted in “excessive deaths.” The FDA statement indicates that the use of Keytruda in combination with other therapies may be the problem, but that the use of Keytruda without other therapies cannot be recommended for patients with multiple myeloma.
Did Merck Warn Study Participants About the Deadly Risks Associated with Keytruda?
Clinical trials involve the use of a drug that has not yet been approved to treat a specific condition. For example, Keytruda is approved for use in the treatment of many cancers, but certainly not all cancers. By sponsoring clinical trials, Merck’s goal is for the FDA to approve the use of Keytruda in other types of cancers. In the case of the deadly clinical trials conducted in 2017, it has become clear that Keytruda is not safe for use in patients with multiple myeloma. When such deaths and injuries happen, the question becomes whether Merck was aware of the true risks of administering Keytruda in combination with other therapies to patients with multiple myeloma.
Often, the way to find out what a pharmaceutical company knew about the risks associated with a drug is to pursue a lawsuit and seek documents from the pharmaceutical company. Many documents shed light on what a pharmaceutical company knew about the true risks of a drug, and when the company first knew about such risks. Even though the recent deaths were associated with two clinical trials, and not after Keytruda was approved for use by the FDA to treat patients with multiple myeloma, many people may ask whether Merck was aware of how deadly the risks were, and at what rate patients would experience injuries or death.
Whether clinical trial participants were warned that serious injuries and death were a potential risk associated with taking Keytruda along with other therapies for the treatment of multiple myeloma is a significant question that Merck will have to answer. If patients were not fully informed of such risks, Merck might be found liable for the injuries and excessive deaths resulting from its two Keytruda clinical trials.
Have Your Potential Keytruda Injury or Death Lawsuit Evaluated by a Qualified Lawyer
To learn whether you or a loved one has a potential lawsuit against Merck is to speak with a lawyer who has experience pursuing defective drug and medical device cases. A lawyer will gather all relevant facts before determining whether a legal claim is a possible option for holding Merck accountable. Such relevant facts include, among others, the following:
- Whether the injured or deceased person was a participant in the Keytruda clinical trials in 2017;
- Whether the person did, in fact, suffer injuries or death during the clinical trials;
- How severe the injuries are in a patient who survived the clinical trials;
- Whether the patient was diagnosed with multiple myeloma before participating in the clinical trials;
- Whether there were any contraindications for the use of Keytruda in certain patients (i.e., if a patient’s medical history demonstrates the patient may be allergic to Keytruda or the other therapies used in combination with Keytruda);
- Whether the time limitation for filing a lawsuit has expired (however, because the clinical trial injuries and deaths happened in 2017, most individuals likely have time to file a lawsuit); and
- Whether the injured or deceased person was fully informed that severe injuries or death was a risk associated with taking Keytruda for the treatment of multiple myeloma.
Every potential legal claim is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. As such, predicting whether a specific client’s case will be successful can be extremely difficult.
Parker Waichman LLP – Our Lawyers Have Recovered More than $2 Billion for Clients
Parker Waichman LLP provides legal representation to injured clients from all across the United States. Our National Defective Drug and Medical Device Lawyers have extensive experience handling complex cases and mass torts involving defective drugs and medical devices. However, our lawyers also handle a wide variety of personal injury matters such as slip and falls, medical malpractice, workplace accidents, construction accidents, and nursing home abuse and neglect, among others. Because Parker Waichman LLP has been able to help so many clients obtain more than $2 billion compensation collectively, our firm has received the following ratings:
- 9.8/10 Rating by AVVO;
- “Preeminent Lawyers” AV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell;
- Ranking of “5 Dragons” by Lawdragon (the highest ranking available); and
- Listing in “Best Lawyers” Publication Established by Thorough Peer Review.
Ratings only tell clients a part of the story. To find out more about how Parker Waichman LLP has obtained substantial compensation for clients, it is important to speak with a member of our team.
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