Merck’s popular laxative Miralax is only safe to use for 7 days by adults, but it is commonly given to kids for years. The active ingredient Polyethylene Glycol (PEG 3350) is linked to thousands of reports of neurological, psychiatric, and kidney side effects.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Miralax induced injury cases in all 50 states. If your child had neuropsychiatric or kidney side effects of Miralax, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Class Action Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Overview
MiraLAX is a laxative that has been on the market since 1999 and is now sold over-the-counter by Merck & Co. It is only FDA-approved for up to 7 days in adults with occasional constipation. Pediatricians commonly recommend Miralax for children who take Miralax for years, but many experts question the safety of Miralax in children.
PEG Laxatives
The active ingredient — Polyethylene Glycol (PEG 3350) — comes from petroleum and it is made of Ethylene Glycol (EG), a toxic antifreeze chemical, but PEG 3350 is not easily absorbed by the body.
Miralax Safety for Babies
Doctors tell parents Miralax is safe for kids because it is all-natural, poorly-absorbed, and hard to overdose. The truth is that Miralax is NOT approved for children and no one knows how they absorb it.
Miralax Neurological & Psychiatric Side Effects
Over 2,500 adverse events involving PEG laxatives were reported to the FDA between 2000 and 2013, including three children who died.
In 2009, experts with the FDA Drug Safety Oversight Board discussed reports of metabolic acidosis (too much acid in the blood), behavior disorders, and neurological or psychiatric events:
“Neuropsychiatric adverse events may include seizures, tremors, tics, headache, anxiety, lethargy, sedation, aggression, rages, obsessive-compulsive behaviors including repetitive chewing and sucking, paranoia and mood swings.”
No FDA Warnings or Miralax Recall
The FDA investigated, but took no action besides listing “neuropsychiatric events” as a potential safety issue with Miralax and other PEG laxatives. The investigation closed in 2009.
FDA Investigation Finds Antifreeze Toxins
It was not the first investigation. In 2008, the FDA tested 8 batches of Miralax. All of them had low levels of Ethylene Glycol (EG) and Diethylene Glycol (DEG) left over from manufacturing PEG 3350.
Miralax Long-Term Side Effects in Children
No one knows how Miralax is absorbed by a child or if it has long-term side effects. One possible explanation for the large number of side effect reports is that children absorb more Miralax than adults, especially very young infants or toddlers with chronic constipation. An irritated intestinal system has less of a barrier against toxins.
Miralax Lawsuits
Lawsuits have been filed by people who were injured by Miralax, but not as part of a class action. Instead, they are individual lawsuits by people who are represented by their own lawyer. Each case is unique, so it is unlikely they will be resolved in a class action settlement.
Miralax Kidney Damage Lawsuit
In April 2015, a Miralax Lawsuit (PDF) was filed by a man from Pennsylvania who developed severe kidney damage from Miralax. He took Miralax from 2009 until he was hospitalized with oxalate nephropathy in 2013. The lawsuit was filed on April 23, 2015 in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas — In RE: Samuel Woniewala vs. Merck & Co, Inc. — Case No. 150402370.
What is the problem?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is nationally recognized as a class action law firm, but we are not filing a Miralax class action lawsuit. Instead, we are filing individual Miralax lawsuits against Merck & Co. for children who experienced serious neuropsychiatric side effects, such as:
- Neuropsychiatric disorders
- Brain injury
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Seizures
- Tremors
- Tics
- Epilepsy
- Psychosis
- Mood disorders
We are also filing claims involving kidney side effects, such as:
- Acute Kidney Injury
- Nephrotoxicity
- Kidney damage
- Acute kidney injury
- Kidney failure
- End-stage renal disease (ESRD)
- Oxalate nephropathy
- Dialysis
- Kidney transplant
About Class Actions
Class actions are designed to maximize efficiency when a lot of people have similar legal claims. Instead of each person filing a lawsuit alone, one lawsuit is filed for everyone who was injured, and everyone who joins shares the payout or settlement amount.
Why Our Law Firm is Filing Individual Lawsuits as Opposed to a Class Action
Class actions are problematic for people who have very severe injuries. They may have to accept a “low-ball” settlement, higher attorneys’ fees, or less compensation than their medical bills.
Our lawyers specialize in holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for failing to warn about side effects. There is no excuse for selling dangerous drugs or downplaying safety risks for children. If you file a Miralax lawsuit, we can help you seek compensation.
Do I have a Miralax Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Miralax induced injury cases in all 50 states. If your child had neuropsychiatric or kidney side effects of Miralax, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Class Action Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs’ law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm’s reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
