Austin Personal Injury Lawyer Reports New Drug for Traumatic Brain Injury May Have Serious Side Effects

Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) April 23, 2012 – A new drug may help deal with the after effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI). It may also have troubling side effects.

“Drug makers know they need to test their new products before they end up on the market. Some do, and do it carefully. Others do, but don’t do it as carefully, leaving the human population to find out later about serious side effects; side effects that may include death. It’s a conundrum to find a drug to help, but without troubling side effects. Such is the worry about Clazosentan, which apparently limits brain damage in rats,” says Brooks Schuelke, an Austin personal injury lawyer with Perlmutter & Schuelke, L.L.P.

Evidently, the drug operates to block receptors in the brain that restrict blood flow within four hours after sustaining head trauma. Administered intravenously, the test drug showed the ability to limit traumatic effects on the blood flowing to the hippocampus by up to 25 percent at the four hour mark and up to 23 percent, two days later. “If the clinical trials for Clazosentan are successful, this new drug may be a vital addition to the tools used to deal with TBI,” added Schuelke.

Since the clinical trials are not completed, there are still unanswered questions about potentially dangerous side effects. It is a well known fact that very few medications on the market today are without some type of side effect that may range from relatively benign, such as increased thirst, to deadly side effects. Testing is designed to identify these side effects, but given the competitive nature of the drug industry, one wonders if the trials will continue long enough to honestly assess any serious issues that arise. Time will tell.

“Any time a new drug is brought to the marketplace, there is the chance it will affect someone adversely, and while the news about a new discovery that may help those with TBI is exciting, it needs to be tempered with caution. Too often we have seen highly touted drugs become the focus of class action lawsuits in the wake of serious injuries and deaths,” Schuelke remarked.

Most often, TBI is the result of someone being involved in a car accident, sustaining a blow to the head during a sporting event, falling, being hit with a blunt object or being exposed to concussive waves from a roadside bomb while on active military service. If there is negligence involved in the accident that caused this type of injury, it is time to seek legal counsel.

“My practice deals with TBI on a regular basis, and we know what needs to be done to ensure you not only get justice, but a fair and equitable damage award. Call me if you have questions or concerns. That is what I am here for,” he added.

To learn more or to contact an Austin personal injury attorney or Austin injury lawyer, visit http://www.civtrial.com.

Perlmutter & Schuelke, LLP
206 East 9th Street, Ste. 1511
Austin, TX 78701
Call (512) 476-4944

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