Propofol is manufactured in the United States by Teva and Hospira and in Europe under the name Propoven. It has been previously marketed by AstraZeneca. Propofol is an injectable sedative-hypnotic that is used as a surgical anesthetic.
Propofol Infusion Syndrome, Bacterial Sepsis and SIRS
Propofol has been in the news recently in relation to the death of Michael Jackson. Jackson's case involved the misuse of Propofol, which is meant to be used in a hospital setting. Propofol, unfortunately, has also been alleged to cause serious conditions, such as bacterial sepsis, SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome), organ failure or dysfunction, and a serious condition known as Propofol Infusion Syndrome.
Propofol and Hepatitis C
Mistakes made at surgery centers have also led to patients contracting Hepatitis C while receiving Propofol. On May 7, 2010, Teva, one of the drug's manufacturers had a $356 Million jury verdict http://in.reuters.com/article/idINN0714824220100508 entered against it because it sold the drug in vials that contained more of the drug than was necessary for a single patient, which allowed physicians to reuse vials causing an outbreak of Hepatitis C. In addition to these events, quality control issues and fear of litigation caused U.S. manufacturers to cease production and recall several lots of Propofol, which resulted in shortage of the drug. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/DrugShortages/ucm209227.htm. In March, 2010, Teva announced that it will not resume production. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/28/AR2010052805121.html
If you or a loved one have contracted Hepatitis C or experienced any of the serious conditions mentioned above, contact a Propofol lawyer right away to preserve your rights.
Check out the following articles for more information about Propofol, filing a Propofol lawsuit and finding a Propofol attorney.