There has been a new wave of mass tort Tepezza lawsuits scrutinizing Horizon Therapeutics for failing to accurately depict the risks associated with Tepezza, a drug for thyroid eye disease.
Many patients developed tinnitus or permanently lost their hearing after treatment with Tepezza.
Since the number of claims filed against Horizon Therapeutics is so many, and the injuries among plaintiffs are similar, Tepezza lawsuits have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation (MDL).
The MDL judge will, in an incoming hearing, lay out an action plan for the proceedings, including appointing a leadership committee to represent the plaintiffs.
But even with a leadership committee, claimants still need individual personal injury lawyers to handle their particular cases. That’s because even though their injuries are similar, the effects on each person’s finances and quality of life may vary significantly.
So, what’s the purpose of this leadership committee? Let’s find out!
Tepezza MDL Lawyer Leadership Appointments
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation recently approved plaintiffs’ request to consolidate Tepezza lawsuits into an MDL. This set of claims was delegated to U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin and will be heard in the Northern District of Illinois.
The main advantage of an MDL is that it allows plaintiffs to pool resources, including the expertise of the attorneys representing them.
Recently, the plaintiffs’ attorneys filed a petition asking for a leadership committee to appoint a team of personal injury attorneys to represent all plaintiffs and handle duties like deposing expert witnesses whose evidence is relevant to all plaintiffs.
The proposed structure consists of three attorneys serving as lead counsel, a liaison counsel, and eight executive committee members.
Tepezza MDL Status Conference
The issue of the leadership committee will be addressed at a status conference set for late June 28th, 2023, under District Judge Durkin’s jurisdiction.
The action plan includes debating the recommended leadership committee and other basic rules to be followed during the litigation process, such as whether consolidated claims involving several plaintiffs would be heard.
Judge Durkin will not issue rulings on these issues during the status conference but may do so afterward.
Tepezza Users May Be at Risk of Permanent Hearing Loss
Tepezza is a medication used to treat Thyroid Eye Disease (TED), which causes unpleasant eye irritation and protrusion. TEC is linked with Graves Disease and hyperthyroidism.
Tepezza was the only medication available when it debuted in 2020, and it soon gained popularity for treating TED. Beyond Tepezza, individuals with TED have only two options – take steroids or undergo surgery.
While Tepezza initially seemed better to those options, the warning on its packaging only warned consumers about temporary hearing problems. In reality, Tepezza carries the risk of tinnitus and permanent hearing loss.
A Stanford University study found that more than half of Tepezza users suffered hearing loss, with some participants experiencing permanent hearing loss.
This is much higher than what Horizon Therapeutics told the FDA. And it supports the hypothesis that this company may have willfully underrepresented the risks associated with Tepezza for the drug to be approved for the FDA’s Orphan Drug program.
Another issue is that some users needed a second dose of Tepezza to ease TED symptoms successfully. Since a standard dose of Tepezza already poses the risk of irreversible hearing loss, further exposure only places them at higher risk.
Get Legal Help with Your Tepezza Lawsuit Today!
Consuming a defective prescription might result in unanticipated medical issues that affect your health, quality of life, and finances.
If you suffered injuries from Tepezza, you might need to change occupations after losing your sense of hearing, master sign language or use a hearing aid, and shoulder medical expenses, among other damages.
At Legal Giant, we want to ensure that the scope of your damages is appropriately acknowledged through compensatory damages in a lawsuit.
We partner with experienced trial experts, meaning you can trust us to connect you with a product liability lawyer to represent you throughout the case.
Our partner attorneys will help you file Tepezza lawsuits to hold Horizon Therapeutics liable for their negligence and work diligently to maximize your compensation.
Contact us for a free consultation today.
