Gadolinium is linked to adverse health effects on patients with renal insufficiency or kidney failure, including Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF), which causes fibrosis of the skin and connective tissues and scarring of organs including lungs, heart, and liver and may lead to death.

Beasley Allen attorneys Andy D. Birchfield, Jr., and Benjamin L. Locklar filed the complaint in United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division under Judge Dan Aaron Polster on behalf of plaintiffs Caroll L. Jett, a resident of Fulton County, Illinois, and Malicia A. Moody, a resident of Wilcox County, Alabama.

This is a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) against defendants Bayer Corporation; Bayer Healthcare LLC; Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation; Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Berlex Laboratories, Inc.; Berlex, Inc.; Bayer Schering Pharma AG; and Bayer AG.

The complaint alleges the defendants designed, manufactured and marketed the gadolinium-based contrast agent Magnevist, which is an injectable Paramagnetic contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), containing the metal gadolinium.

The lawsuit alleges the manufacturers of the gadolinium-containing products acted in a conscious, intentional, willful, wanton, reckless, fraudulent and inappropriate way with total disregard for the rights and safety of those persons who used their products, and as a result the plaintiffs suffered significant and lasting harm.

Official Complaints

Gadolinium Lawsuit – Carroll Jett v. Gadolinium
Gadolinium Lawsuit – Malicia Moody v. Gadolinium

SOURCE: Gadolinium and NSF › Beasley Allen files two gadolinium lawsuits

When gadolinium is in the bloodstream, medical imaging devices produce clearer, more defined images of the patient’s blood vessels. Since gadolinium is extremely toxic to human tissue, it must first be coated with a benign chemical before being injected into the patient. Over the course of time, the body expels the metal through the kidneys.

Patients with poor kidneys, however, experience a buildup of the toxic metal in their body. The protective coating on the gadolinium eventually breaks down and the patient begins to experience the symptoms of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF).

Currently, 391 lawsuits have been filed in state and federal courts against manufacturers of the gadolinium based contrast dyes. 287 cases pending in Multidistrict Litigation are now moving forward in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The remaining 104 NSF lawsuits are pending in state courts. The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation designated the Northern District of Ohio to handle all NSF lawsuits pending in federal courts. Last week, the presiding judge established ground rules for the consolidated cases now moving forward.

Defendants named in the suits are GE Healthcare, Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, Bracco Diagnostics, and Mallinckrodt.

The very first cases of NSF were identified in 1997. NSF is a debilitating disease for which there is currently no known cure. Symptoms include fibrosis of the skin, eyes, joints, and internal organs, hardened skin, limited movement, high blood pressure, dark patches, redness, itchiness, burning, and swelling of skin, soreness of hips and ribs, muscle weakness and limited movement. Progression of the disease can lead to severe rigidity in the joints and death.

SOURCE: Gadolinium and NSF › Gadolinium federal lawsuits move ahead