Scientists Are Encouraged By Data From Flesh-Eating Disease Studies

Diabetes Drug Infection Lawsuit News

Progress is being made by scientists looking into the possible triggers of flesh-eating diseases like Fournier's Gangrene

Monday, February 25, 2019 - While the FDA warns that certain diabetic medications may be the cause of the rare genital flesh-eating disease Fournier's gangrene, scientist and researchers continue to work toward finding the triggers for Fournier's gangrene's underlying condition. Breakthroughs in analyzing the streptococcus virus give researchers hope that the condition can be effectively prevented in the years to come. Progress is being made to identify the possible triggers of necrotizing fasciitis, the condition that leads to Fournier's gangrene. The Center for Disease Control estimates that around 700 million cases of Group A streptococcus are reported every year in hospitals in the US, mostly as one form of "strep throat" or another. Up until recently, little was known what triggered this simple form of infection to progress into the deadly flesh-eating disease. According to the website Medical Express, "Houston Methodist infectious disease scientists have discovered a previously unknown trigger that turns a relatively run-of-the-mill infection into a devastatingly ravenous, flesh-eating disease." Fournier gangrene attorneys represent families and individuals diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis due to diabetes drug infection.

The studies into the triggers of the flesh-eating disease are being led by James M. Musser, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine at Houston Methodist. Dr. Musser and his team have studied the interactions between the three known forms of Strep A and have produced more data than has ever been accumulated with the hope of analyzing it using artificial intelligence. The goal of the research is to produce a vaccine to streptococcus A that has alluded scientists for over 100 years.

If a victim of Fournier's gangrene is one of the 20-40% of patients lucky enough to survive, partial or complete genital mutilation or complete amputation is certain. Up until recently, Fournier's gangrene was rare enough that people could cope with the thought of being the unlucky one to get the disease. Today, however, the US Food and Drug Administration warns that anyone taking certain drugs is at risk of contracting the disease, upping the risks considerably, particularly for the millions of people suffering from diabetes. Diabetes drugs classified as SGLT2 blockers taken by diabetics are the ones that present the greatest risk. 12 patients recently reported Fournier's gangrene to the FDA and all had been treated for diabetes with an SGLT2 drug. These types of drugs re-route sugars in the blood to the kidneys to be passed as urine. The FDA has identified the drugs linked with the 12 reported cases of Fournier's Gangrene as being Canagliflozin (Invokana, Invokamet, Invokamet XR), Dapagliflozin (Farxiga, Xigduo XR, Qtern), Empagliflozin (Jardiance, Glyxambi, Synjardy, Synjardy XR), and Ertugliflozin (Steglatro, Segluromet, Steglujan).

These drugs manufactured by leading pharmaceutical companies are now the subject of lawsuits that allege drug companies has a duty to warn patients that Fournier's gangrene was a possible outcome. If you are diabetic taking any of the above-mentioned medications and have contracted a flesh-eating disease, you should consult a Fournier's gangrene attorneys to see if you may be eligible for monetary compensation.

More Recent Diabetes Drug Infection Lawsuit News:

Lawyers for Fournier's Gangrene

OnderLaw, LLC is a St. Louis personal injury law firm handling serious injury and death claims across the country. Its mission is the pursuit of justice, no matter how complex the case or strenuous the effort. The Onder Law Firm has represented clients throughout the United States in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation such as Pradaxa, Lexapro and Yasmin/Yaz, where the firm's attorneys held significant leadership roles in the litigation, as well as Actos, DePuy, Risperdal and others. The Onder Law Firm has won more than $300 million in four talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits in St. Louis. Law firms throughout the nation often seek its experience and expertise on complex litigation.