You are kidding about the Lithium right? Carbo lithium/Lithium Carbonate is very old drug, so I don't think you can sue."Lithium was first described as a psychiatric drug in 1949 by an Australian psychiatrist, John Cade"

http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/lexicomp/lithium.html
Warnings/Precautions

[U.S. Boxed Warning]: Lithium toxicity is closely related to serum levels and can occur at therapeutic doses; serum lithium determinations are required to monitor therapy. Use with caution in patients with thyroid disease, mild-moderate renal impairment, or mild-moderate cardiovascular disease. Use caution in patients receiving medications which alter sodium excretion (eg, diuretics, ACE inhibitors, NSAIDs), or in patients with significant fluid loss (protracted sweating, diarrhea, or prolonged fever); temporary reduction or cessation of therapy may be warranted. Some elderly patients may be extremely sensitive to the effects of lithium, see Dosage and Reference Range. Chronic therapy results in diminished renal concentrating ability (nephrogenic DI); this is usually reversible when lithium is discontinued. Changes in renal function should be monitored, and re-evaluation of treatment may be necessary. Use caution in patients at risk of suicide (suicidal thoughts or behavior).

Morphologic changes with glomerular and interstitial fibrosis and nephron atrophy have been reported in patients on chronic lithium therapy; morphologic changes have also been reported in manic-depressive patients never exposed to lithium. The relationship between morphologic changes and renal function, and the association with lithium therapy, have not been established.

Use with caution in patients receiving neuroleptic medications - a syndrome resembling NMS has been associated with concurrent therapy. Lithium may impair the patient's alertness, affecting the ability to operate machinery or driving a vehicle. Neuromuscular-blocking agents should be administered with caution; the response may be prolonged.

Higher serum concentrations may be required and tolerated during an acute manic phase; however, the tolerance decreases when symptoms subside. Normal fluid and salt intake must be maintained during therapy.

Safety and efficacy have not been established in children

Yes, I can't say why there are no lawsuits, but I would assume Mark is right. The drug is just too old. I'm an ex-social worker...in mental health. I had a client die of renal failure due to lithium use. Just one anecdotal story, but I've always heard that Lithium is dangerous. While I was on it my doctor was extremely insistant that I have blood work once a month like clockwork.

A woman in Alaska won a couple million dollars from a community mental health clinic when lithium killed her kidneys. I myaelf didn't sue, but I have kidney failure from taking lithium as prescribed and I have since heard of a number of other people on dialysis due to taking lithium. In France they did a study which showed that 2 out of a 1,000 people on dialysis there were there because of taking lithium.
If you are on lithium, get your kidney function checked through blood work every 3 to 4 months and if it is impaired, get the heck off of it!

Mark,

It's because psych's don't use it much anymore.(therefore not gonna be too many lawsuits)

Absolutely, it can create a toxic blood serum level and is very difficult to manage that cross-over fine line where therapeutic dose is dangerously close to the toxic level.
Most patients prefer not to have blood draws to monitor any medication (Lithium, Depakote and Clozaril require this).
Patients and docs both just don't want to deal with the blood draws, as well as the Li levels are tricky to manage in hot weather, exercise, etc. Lots of water is also needed during the day,basically enough reason for patients and docs to have kicked it to the curb.
Oddly, all patients on antipsychotics such as Seroquel for example should be having fasting blood sugar tests, liver panels and CBC's on a regular basis, as well as a lipid level.

Maybe docs need to stop using meds such as Seroquel for so many off-label uses and there would be less lawsuits.

In 1980's ... I was put on Lithium for what was tagged "bipolar". Three years later after reading about the serious side effects for kidneys, I demanded my doctor to take me off of it. Reluctantly, he agreed to help. See, you cant just stop taking Lithum but must be weened off. It is now 2007 and since the late 1990's I have been dealing with kidney disease. Back in the 1980's they did not have the diagnose of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I was never bipolar. There are two main reasons people end up with kidney disease: out of control diabetes or high blood pressure. I have neither but I do have now end stage kidney disease and am working toward getting on a transplant list. unfortunately the cost of the medications is out of this world on a few of the meds that must be taken for the rest of your life with a kidney transplant. If I could find a gutsy lawyer, I would sue the drug company and the medical profession. Lithium is a very dangerous drug to prescribe. There are many people like me out there suffering in silence without a means to make the drug and medical areas take responsibility for this death risking disease.

Not to worry; the new extended release version : "Seroquel SR" will surely help innocent people.

.."Seroquel, AstraZeneca's second biggest-selling product, had global sales of $3.4 billion last year but the original immediate-release formulation faces patent threats."

"The new version is seen as key to protecting long-term sales."

LITHIUM KILLED MY SISTER, IT SAYS IT RIGHT ON THE DEATH CERTIFICATE.SO YES THERE WILL MOST DEFINATELY BE A LAWSUIT.LEVELS NEED TO BE MONITORED VERY CLOSE AND HERS WEREN'T. SO LITHIUM CAN KILL AND DOES.

I found this website some of you may be interested in: http://www.techagreements.com/agreement-preview.asp?num=146204
My husband was just told by his Dr today that he has lost 40% of his Kidney function. He was on lithium as high as 3000 mgs a day for nearly a year, before it burned up his thyroid gland!