Unfortunately, some medical providers, as well as pharmaceutical companies that produce vital medications, take advantage of nursing home residents. However, not all medications given to nursing home residents are necessary, let alone safe. Residents deserve the highest medical attention possible, and when another party, such as a nursing home or pharmaceutical company, takes advantage of a resident in order to turn a profit, that party needs to be held accountable for their actions. If you believe that you or your loved one has been abused or neglected by any nursing home staff member, physician, or another person, do not hesitate to contact a Jonesboro nursing home abuse attorney today.
Unsafe and Unnecessary Drug Prescribed for Financial Gain of Physicians and Pharmaceutical Company
Avanir Pharmaceuticals is currently under investigation for the potential violation of federal laws concerning the sale, prescription, and marketing of the drug Nuedexta. Nuedexta may not be safe or necessary for nursing home residents, and the aggressive targeting of this population may end in repercussions for the company as well as the doctors that were prescribing the medication in order for kickbacks, according to CNN. Some physicians have been awarded tens of thousands of dollars for their part in promoting the medication, which is approved under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use to stop uncontrollable laughing or crying in patients (pseudobulbar affect, or PBA). However, PBA is not even common amongst nursing home residents. According to WebMD, Nuedexta can cause a variety of moderate to life-threatening conditions, including:
- Diarrhea;
- Dizziness;
- Coghing;
- Vomiting;
- Weakness;
- Muscle spasms;
- Yellowing eyes or skin;
- Easy bleeding or bruising;
- Joint and muscle pain;
- Rapid heart beat;
- Fainting;
- Hallucinations;
- Fever; and
- Serotonin syndrome/toxicity.
Medical Overbilling
Nursing homes have been known to overbill for a variety of services and items, from bed sheets and food to rolls of tissue paper. They often overbill Medicare. When a for-profit nursing home overbills a resident, it puts them in serious financial jeopardy of not being able to afford the care and treatment that they need, let alone the day to day necessities of normal life. Nursing homes may even bill a patient for a medical service, and then never deliver. This results in compromised health and well-being of the individual. If your loved one has been charged an abnormal amount for medical procedures and medications, yet you believe that these procedures were not received, you have the right to file a lawsuit against the nursing home. Common signs of nursing home medical neglect include bed sores, rapid and unexplained weight gain or loss, confusion, lack of desire to do things, unattended injuries, and declined health from lack of prescription medication.
Contact an Attorney at Once
If your loved one has been taken advantage of by a medical provider or a nursing home, you need to take legal action at once to put this abuse or neglect to an end once and for all. The compassionate Jonesboro attorneys of Wells & Wells can be reached today at 870.782.4084 for immediate help.
https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/19/health/government-investigation-avanir-nuedexta-invs/index.html