Viekira Pak can cure hepatitis C, but it can also cause serious liver injuries — especially in patients with pre-existing liver problems. These risks include liver failure, transplant, and death.
Need a Texas Viekira Pak Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with liver damage, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.
Viekira Lawsuits & Class Actions
Class actions have already been filed against insurance companies that denied coverage for Viekira. Instead of a class action, our lawyers are filing individual lawsuits against AbbVie Inc. for people who were injured by these side effects:
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- End-stage liver disease
- Hepatic toxicity
- Acute hepatitis (inflammation)
- Liver failure
- Organ transplant
- Death
FDA Warning: Viekira Liver Failure, Transplants, and Death
In October 2015, the FDA issued a Safety Warning about 26 reports of people who developed severe liver injuries from Viekira or Technivie, often within 1 to 4 weeks of starting treatment. According to the FDA:
“[The manufacturer] identified cases of hepatic decompensation and liver failure in patients with underlying liver cirrhosis who were taking these medicines. Some of these events resulted in liver transplantation or death.”
Viekira and Liver Damage
These serious liver injuries were mostly reported in patients who had evidence of advanced cirrhosis (scarring in the liver) before starting treatment with Viekira. The reports are concerning because Viekira is not recommended in patients with moderately or severely impaired liver function due to the risk of hepatotoxicity.
What Should I Do?
Patients on Viekira should be vigilant for symptoms of liver injury. Seek medical attention immediately if they occur, but don’t stop taking Viekira without first talking to your doctor.
Doctors who prescribe Viekira should closely monitor patients for worsening liver damage. These complications may include ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, variceal hemorrhage, and elevated bilirubin.
Warning Signs & Symptoms
Many complications can occur when the liver stops working, but not everyone has symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they may include:
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Yellow eyes or skin
- Jaundice
- Light-colored stools
- Dark-colored urine
What is Viekira Pak?
Viekira Pak is a combination of medications that treat hepatitis C. It is sold by AbbVie Inc. and was approved by the FDA in December 2014.
Medications in Viekira Pak
Viekira Pak contains fixed-dose combinations of three new drugs — dasabuvir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir — that stop the hepatitis C virus from growing, plus another medication called ritonavir.
Viekira Pak may or may not contain ribavirin. This medication is not recommended for people with “decompensated cirrhosis,” a complication when the liver does not function properly.
Does Viekira Cure Hepatitis C?
In clinical trials, over 90% of patients were cured after 12-week or 24-week treatments with Viekira Pak. It works by targeting a specific step in the life-cycle of the hepatitis C virus, which stops the virus from replicating and causing infections.
What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a chronic liver disease that is caused by a highly-contagious virus that spreads in blood. Over 3.2 million Americans are infected, but many of them have no idea. Symptoms may not appear for decades. About 15-30% of people who were infected with the virus develop cirrhosis (scarring). Hepatitis C infections can also cause liver cancer.
Need a Viekira Pak Lawyer in Texas?
Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.
Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”
The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas Viekira Pak lawyers for a free lawsuit review.
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