Treatment with Medtronic's Infuse bone graft may increase the likelihood that patients will develop cancer, especially stomach, thyroid, breast, ovarian, lung, prostate, laryngeal, lymphoma, and pancreatic cancers, as well as skin cancer (melanoma) or leukemia. Recent research has linked rhBMP-2, the bio-engineered bone growth protein found in Infuse, with a 2.5 times greater risk of developing cancer one year after the protein was used and a five times greater risk after three years.
If you or someone you love was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach, thyroid, breast, ovarian, lung, prostate, laryngeal, lymphoma, pancreas, leukemia or melanoma/skin cancer following surgery with Medtronic Infuse, you may be entitled to compensation through a lawsuit. The Medtronic Infuse injury lawyers at Parker Waichman LLP are offering free lawsuit evaluations to possible Medtronic Infuse cancer victims. To protect your legal rights, we urge you to contact one of our experienced attorneys today to discuss your potential Medtronic Infuse cancer lawsuit.
Medtronic Infuse bone graft Cancer and rhBMP-2
In March 2011, Medtronic failed to obtain approval for its Amplify product, which like Infuse contains rhBMP-2, but at a higher dose. In refusing to approve Amplify, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) cited an increased risk of cancer among recipients of the protein. In November 2011, during a meeting of the North American Spine Society (NASS), Dr. Eugene J. Carragee of Stanford University revealed that not all the findings of the Medtronic-sponsored Amplify clinical trial had been made public. The study analyzed by Carragee involved 239 patients who got the Amplify product and 224 who got a conventional graft of their own hip bone. After three years, 5% of those who got Amplify, or 12 patients, were diagnosed with a new cancer, compared with 1.3%, or three patients, who got a graft of their own hip bone. The difference was statistically significant.
In an interview with The New York Times, Dr. Carragee said the Amplify study findings had potential implications for patients who received Infuse, as doctors often administered Infuse off-label at doses equal to or higher than Amplify. Research indicates that at least 85% of Infuse use is now off-label. According to a 2008 report from The Wall Street Journal, at least 280 reports of side effects involving Infuse had been made to the FDA since Medtronic Infuse was first brought to market. About three-quarters of those reports involved off-label use.
Legal Help for Victims of Medtronic Infuse Cancer
If you or a loved one developed cancer following surgery with the Medtronic Infuse bone graft, you may have valuable legal rights. To discuss your case with one of our Medtronic Infuse lawyers, please fill out our online form, or call <a href="tel:18009687529">1-800 YOUR LAWYER (1-800-968-7529)</a> today.