Bayer Settles Some Lawsuits Over Magnevist Contrast Agent Injuries, Hundreds More Cases Still Pending

Some of the hundreds of lawsuits filed by people who say they or a loved one was injured by the use of Magnevist contrast agents during MRI scans have been settled out of court for undisclosed amounts, drug maker Bayer said today.

The use of gadolinium-based contrast agents to improve the results of magnetic resonance imaging scans has been linked to a rare condition called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF). The potentially deadly disease causes patches of hardened skin to form on the body, particularly around the joints and internal organs, and is more common in people with kidney disease who under MRIs.

Bayer’s Magnevist is a leading brand of contrast agents, which also include MultiHance, Omniscan, OpiMARK, and ProHance.

Bayer officials confirmed earlier this year that 241 lawsuits had been filed and were pending in court regarding alleged injuries caused by Magnevist contrast agents. Today, a company spokesman said Bayer was able to reach settlements in an undisclosed number of those cases. The remaining cases remain on a track toward trial to settle the allegations.

FDA Warns of Contrast Agent Dangers

In 2007, the Food and Drug Administration asked Bayer and other makers of gadolinium-based contast agents to include warnings on the labeling of the products to warn patients and physicians about the danger of using the chemicals and the risk of developing NSF.

Symptoms of NSF include red, dark patches of thickened skin, swelling of skin around the hands and feet, a burning or itching sensation in the skin, and yellow spots on the whites of the eyes. In many cases, the symptoms of NSF create difficulty walking or moving the arms.

The FDA had previously, in 2006, issued several public warnings and advisories about the risks of NSF from using gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents.

Treatments for NSF, which is designed to slow the progression of the condition, typically include oral steroids and in more advanced cases, renal transplantation.

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