Zostavax: A Dangerous Vaccine
Zostavax, the dangerous vaccine shown in a 2014 commercial, has side effects that are far worse than the only one it mentions – postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). It can cause nerve pain for “months” and possibly several years after the shingles rash disappears.
In May 2018, there were almost “60 federal lawsuits” against Merck, the drug company that makes Zostavax, citing much more serious side effects – neurological disorders, vision problems and blindness, strokes and heart problems, pneumonia and death. Zostavax can also cause shingles, the very condition it’s meant to prevent. In 2016, Merck admitted Zostavax could cause eye damage and shingles. The FDA put a shingles warning on it in 2014. In 2016, it warned of two more side effects, keratitis and necrotizing retinitis that can lead to blindness.
Just because a drug is FDA approved doesn’t mean it’s OK
According to an investigative report in 2017 by NPR, “researchers at the Yale School of Medicine found that nearly a third of drugs the FDA approved from 2001 through 2010,” “had major safety issues that were discovered after the medications were made widely available to patients.” It also faulted the FDA’s system “for reporting drug-and device-related health problems calling it “voluntary, underutilized and filled with incomplete and late information.”
Zostavax isn’t the first harmful drug approved by the FDA
It approved Vioxx in 1999. Merck took it off the market in 2004. In 2007, Merck paid “$4.85 billion” to end thousands of lawsuits filed by the pain killer’s victims. The FDA approved Levaquin in 1996. By 2012, there were 3,400 lawsuits against the Johnson & Johnson antibiotic. FDA documents in 2016 showed it had 200,000 reports of “adverse reactions,” including 3,000 deaths. J&J took it off the market in 2017.
According to an article in Scientific American in 2017, “approximately half” of the studies published in medical journals by pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and academics” leave out at least some of the adverse effects they have uncovered. So drugs can have side effects even doctors don’t know about.
Wayne Wright can help victims of Zostavax
If you are one of Zostavax’s victims, you deserve legal relief from its side effects. Wayne Wright has been successfully representing victims of bad drugs for more than 40 years. His national legal honors are proof that he wins big awards for his clients. He is one of America’s top trial lawyers. He doesn’t charge by the hour. You only pay fees, agreed upon in advance, when your case is successfully concluded. Calls and evaluations are free.
Tips To Avoid Work Zone Accidents
- Take the slow road. Most fatal work zone crashes happen on roads with speed limits over 50 mph. If you’re planning a long trip, check the traffic and construction reports for your planned route. If you can avoid the highway for a portion of your journey, you will greatly reduce your chances of an accident—and you may even reach your destination more quickly.
- Keep your eyes and ears open. Distractions are deadly while behind the wheel at all times, but are especially dangerous in a construction zone. If you see a construction sign, turn your radio down and ask all passengers to be quiet until you are safely in the clear. Do not use cellphones, eat, or do anything else that takes your concentration off the road. You need to be alert to telltale signs of danger, such as sudden brake lights, traffic buildup, heavy machinery, nearby workers, and rerouted lanes.
- Slow down early. The most common type of work zone accident is a rear-end crash, and is most commonly caused by a driver braking too late to avoid stopped traffic. Always slow down the moment you see posted construction warnings, and increase your following distance just in case of sudden braking.
- Follow the rules. Driving during road construction can be stressful—even infuriating—but the best way to get through it is to remain calm and drive normally. If your lane is redirected, merge as soon as possible before your lane closure and keep your speed low and consistent.
- Expect the unexpected. You must remain on the alert for all dangers, not just known risks of construction work. Uneven lanes can grab your tires, other vehicles may enter your lane without warning, and rain and high winds can make it difficult to see and steer.
Experienced Drivers Are Less Likely to Become Involved in Accidents
As with most car crashes, the people who are most at risk of work zone accidents are those who are not familiar with the rules of the road. You can help protect the ones you love by sharing this article with them on Facebook, or by having a conversation with your kids and friends about safe driving at your next get-together.