Texas Man Sues Doctor After Off-Label Rx Of Geodon Disables Patient
From the Southeast Texas Record:
"A Beaumont man has filed a suit against a local psychiatrist, alleging the doctor prescribed a medication for an off-label use that has left him permanently disabled."
The drug: Geodon, one of the least used atypical antipsychotics. The off-label use: depression and anxiety. Geodon is approved for use in schizophrenia (not that it's such a great performer there) and bipolar mania and mixed episodes in bipolar disorder. The disability: tardive dyskinesia and tardive blepharospasm (drooping eyelids to the point where the patient can't drive a car).
Even weirder: "The suit states that Moss continued the regimen of Geodon for two years, 'even after plaintiff had a transient ischemic episode or minor stroke.'" Makes you wonder if the doc insisted that the meds couldn't be responsible so the patient kept taking the drug.
Geodon is made by Pfizer. Once upon a time, I took this drug for about three weeks and it agitated me so badly that I took myself off it before talking to my doctor. Not being able to sleep will make a patient do that. Lost a lot of weight on it though.
Posted by Philip Dawdy at September 9, 2008 12:01 AM
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Since we've had tort reform & caps are so low, it surprises me he was able to find an attorney to represent him. Even if he wins, he's not going to receive much in terms of compensation.
