Darvon and Darvocet are part of the group of drugs "opioids" and are both used to treat mild to moderate pain. Propoxyphene is an ingredient in both. From its approval in 1957, Darvon was the trade name for dispensing propoxyphene. In 1972, the FDA approved the propoxyphene/acetaminophen combination in one pill (Darvocet). You may recognize acetaminophen as the primary ingredient in some over-the-counter pain medications such as Tylenol. The inclusion of acetaminophen (Darvocet) can offer more pain relief than just propoxyphene alone (Darvon).

There has been great dispute for the last 32 years regarding the safeness of propoxyphene. Propoxyphene-containing drugs have been banned in Great Britain since 2005, and by 2009 the European Medicines Agency recommended their gradual removal from the European market.

American consumer watchdog group Public Citizen petitioned for the ban of propoxyphene and propoxyphene-containing drugs in 1978 and again in 2006. According to Public Citizen's 2006 petition, it has highly addictive qualities and has been implicated in 5.6% of all drug-related deaths from 1981-1999.

Despite data estimating that thousands of Americans have died since the UK ban, the FDA denied the 2006 petition that requested a phased withdrawal of propoxyphene. Instead, then announced in 2009 that they would allow continued marketing but with a black boxed warning.

Heart Arrhythmia:

It wasn't until November, 2010 that the FDA announced they were pulling Darvon and Darvocet off the U.S. Market. They released a study showing potentially dangerous electrical changes in the hearts of healthy people taking the drug.

Both Darvocet and Darvon are able to produce negative inotropic effects, meaning the drugs cause weakened muscular contractions of the heart over time. When the heart's contractions are weakened, dangerous shifts in the regular intervals of a heartbeat can result. This can eventually lead to sudden cardiac arrest and possibly death. In comparison to other drugs, it was ruled that the risks outweighed the benefits.

GoldenbergLaw, PLLC believes that companies should be held accountable for marketing defective drugs that harm people. If you believe you or a loved one has been injured or killed as a result of taking Darvocet or Darvon, please contact us by filling out our online contact form, or call our office for a complementary consultation.

We have been representing victims of defective devices nationwide for over 27 years and have the resources and expertise to hold manufacturers accountable.