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12-12-19 ... CALL TO ACTION for Lupron Victims - see 'Media page'.

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For "Introduction" to this page, please scroll down this column.

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As of this writing, 12-12-19, there does not appear to be any Lupron class action lawsuits filed or pending. At present, the only lawsuit I'm aware of is the Paulsen case (involving one litigant), described below. (Court opinion and order rendered March 19, 2019.)

It is entirely accurate to state that at any time, over at least the last 30 years, somewhere in the US, attorneys have been contacted by and continue to hear from Lupron victims, conduct intake on potential clients and perform investigations and evaluations, and entertain the prospect of bringing a product liability or a class action lawsuit. It certainly would appear that a mass product liability tort is inevitable, and long overdue. There should be a mass class action lawsuit vs. lupron, and there will be a mass class action lawsuit vs. lupron. It's only a matter of time.

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March 19, 2019:  Court issues opinion and order on Motions to Dismiss in Paulsen v. Abbott, AbbVie, TAP and TPUSA. Motions were granted in part, and denied in part:

TAP and TPUSA have been dismissed with prejudice from case.

Defendant Abbott’s Motions to dismiss were denied and Plaintiff prevalied on the following 2 Counts:  Count II (Strict liability – Failure to Warn), and Count V (Negligent Misrepresentation).  All other Motions to Dismiss were granted to Abbott.

Defendant AbbVie’s Motion to Dismiss Count II (Strict Liability – Failure to Warn) was denied, and Plaintiff prevailed on this Count.  All other Motions to Dismiss were granted to AbbVie.

Next meeting is April 8, 2019 to set schedule for limited discovery.

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02-11-19: Las Vegas ABC's KTNV reporter Darcy Spears does another follow-up lupron investigation, (KTNV's "part 10" - see 'Media page' for parts 1-9) and interviews several lupron victims and plaintiff Paulsen's attorney Alan Levin. Darcy Spears reports "[Attorney] Dr. Levin believes Lupron and Orilissa are way too toxic for a condition like endometriosis ...".

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01-24-19: San Diego's ABC's 'Team 10 Investigates' interviews plaintiff Terry Paulsen's attorney Dr. Alan Levin. Plaintiff attorney Levin stated:

“The problem with Lupron is not that the drug is bad. [The problem is] the manner in which it's given,” says Levin. He says physicians need to stop using a “one size fits all” approach to the amount of the drug that's injected into patients, like his client. “You have to monitor it extremely carefully. In [Paulsen’s] case [they gave too much]. Then, the patient suffers,” he adds."

What would EVER possess a plaintiff product liability attorney to defend the defendant's product? This is inexplicable. I have collaborated with Attorney Levin in the past, and have offered him an opportunity to explain this most peculiar and unorthodox statement, but have received no response.

Lupron is a known "hazardous drug" according to the NIH and according to NIOSH; and Lupron is a known "reproductive toxicant" and a known "developmental toxicant" - all facts well known to Attorney Levin. (See here for sources of Lupron's hazardous and toxicant status.)

Lupron's endometriosis clinical trials have been shown to contain fraudulent data, which is a fact well known to Attorney Levin. According to an independent analysis of this clinical trial data by Dr. David Redwine, the data evidenced "62.5% of women failed to return to baseline ovarian function one year after stop of study, indicating ovarian damage" (For further details on Dr. Redwine's findings, see Home page, Right column, approximately 2 pages down: "On December 28, 2012 Dr. David Redwine posted ...". See also power point presentatioin of Dr. Redwine's analysis: "Leuprolide: The 'D' is Silent".)

In Klein v. TAP, Abbott, Dr. Redwine concluded lupron was "unsafe and harmful", and Dr. John Guerigian, also in the Klein matter, described lupron's dangers and disabling effects - facts well known to Attorney Levin. A 2017 SCOTUS amicus brief, with numerous signatories, stated "Lupron produces the onset of menopause, potentially with incapacitating and long-lasting effects" - another fact well known to Attorney Levin.

What is not known is what purpose it serves a plaintiff product liability attorney to defend the defendant's product ("The problem with Lupron is not that the drug is bad. [The problem is] the manner in which it's given"). If anyone can answer that question, please email an explanation as I'd be greatly appreciative.

Women have reported problems with using micro-dose lupron in IVF, and women have reported problems with using daily lupron for a matter of days. In my opinion, based upon decades of research in trying to expose this very bad drug, the dosage is not the problem ... the DRUG is the problem. Any plaintiff product liability attorney who asserts otherwise, imo, is throwing the plaintiff under a big, bad (and baffling) bus.

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10-29-18: WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia interviews Lupron plaintiff Terry Paulsen and her attorney Alan Levin - see Part 1. Also on 10-29-18, the station carried Part 2, a story on AbbVie's first oral GnRH antagonist, Orilissa, which also included additional coverage of Lupron. On 10-30-18 there was a follow up story, Part 3 (with discussion taking place at WSB-TV's Facebook community page).

Within 24 hours, WSB-TV Facebook page had heard from hundreds of women throughout the country reporting negative effects from Lupron.

To summarize these 3 stories, the series began with Terry Paulsen and her current lawsuit, along with interviews of Terry's legal counsel, a medical expert, and another Lupron victim. Brooklyn Harbin, formerly athletic, described her back pain and how she needed a wheelchair in the 5th grade after taking Lupron for precocious puberty.

The follow-up 10-30-18 story (Part 3) interviewed 2 women - one who reported experiencing no negative effects ("maybe I was lucky"), and another woman, Sheila Reed, reported that since her Lupron injection 4 months ago she has had no feeling in her legs, is unable to walk, has slurred speech, a clenched hand, and her mouth droops at times. Sheila said "Had a shot and can't walk."

All who have suffered from exposure to this drug are encouraged to watch Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, and to consider commenting at the TV station's Facebook page on how Lupron has affected you and your life.

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re: Terry Paulsen vs. Abbott, TAP, AbbVie, TPUSA:

March 19, 2019:  Court issues opinion and order on Motions to Dismiss. TAP and TPUSA have been dismissed from case.  Defendant Abbott’s Motions to dismiss were denied and Plaintiff prevalied on the following 2 Counts:

#1). Count II (Strict liability – Failure to Warn): "Court declined to dismiss Abbott at this time."  #2). Count V (Negligent Misrepresentation): "Court finds Plaintiff alleged sufficient facts to survive motion to dismiss." All other Motions to Dismiss were granted to Abbott.

Defendant AbbVie’s Motion to Dismiss Count II (Strict Liability – Failure to Warn) was denied, and Plaintiff prevailed on this Count. The Court found "facts are sufficient to show that TAP/Abbott knew that there was a substantial risk of bone depletion with Lupron".  Plaintiff's allegations "suffice to plead a failure to warn claim". All other Motions to Dismiss were granted to AbbVie.

Next meeting is April 8, 2019 to set schedule for limited discovery.

08-06-18: All defendants have filed motions to dismiss, and Paulsen filed briefs in opposition on 09-26-18. The defendants have until 10-30-18 to file their replies. The court will rule on these motions at some point in the future.

03-27-18:  Defendants TAP, Abbott and Takeda had filed motions to dismiss this case, and the court has now acted; granting in part and denying in part defendant's motions.  Defendant Takeda was dismissed with prejudice, and the remaining orders were dismissed without prejudice.  Therefore, Terry and team are allowed time to serve an amended complaint upon defendants, which is now in process.  This lawsuit continues.

05-11-15: An individual plaintiff lawsuit was filed in Northern District of Illinois - 'Terry Paulsen vs. Abbott Labs, Takeda, TAP', Case No.: 1:15-cv-04144. This lawsuit is limited to this one plaintiff.

Despite intimations written elsewhere on the internet, the attorney (Alan Levin, MD, JD) representing this one Paulsen lawsuit has verified on 07-11-16 that he "has nothing to do with any class action lawsuit", and reaffirmed this on TV interview in October 29, 2018.

Terry Paulsen, an ICU RN and avid horsewoman prior to becoming disabled post-lupron, had been one of four plaintiffs in a prior class action lawsuit in which the attorney retired mid-case. (For further details, scrolll in Left column to 'Class Actions'). Now having found another attorney, Terry has filed a new complaint as a sole plaintiff.

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08-26-17: Friend of the Court Brief (with numerous signatories) Filed In The Supreme Court of the United States Opposing the Exploitation Of Women By The Commercial Surrogacy Industry. The Amicus Brief discusses the lack of Lupron's safety:

"... [B]oth surrogates and egg sellers are pumped with drugs such as Lupron which is not FDA-approved for fertility use. ... Lupron produces the onset of menopause, potentially with incapacitating and long-lasting effects. Given the cozy relationship between Big Pharma and the FDA [], there has been no interest on the part of either to investigate the drug's safety or adverse effects. ... There have been no prospective or clinical studies on Lupron's safety for ART [Assisted Reproductive Technology] patients. ... "

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01-20-16: Lupron, Thyroid Disease, and the Broken Scales of Justice by Lynne Millican, RN

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Read Medical Expert Statement from Dr. David B. Redwine, renowned endometriosis expert, describing (among others) enticements by TAP to prescribe lupron, TAP's medical fraud, and the Dr.'s conclusion that lupron is "unsafe and harmful in addition to being ineffective."

Read Medical Expert Statement of Dr. John Gueriguian (a former FDA Medical Officer involved in the initial FDA approval of lupron for palliative treatment of prostate cancer), describing the dangers and disabling effects of lupron.

Additional Medical Expert Witness Statements re: Lupron:

In a 2015 appeal of a Louisiana medical malpractice lawsuit in which the plaintiff claimed she was harmed by *not* being prescribed and treated with Lupron for her fibroids, the following interesting testimony was offered:

Dr. Elizabeth Blanton (plaintiff's defendant physician who did not recommend or prescribe Lupron) stated: " ... Lupron has a very temporary effect. Once you stop the Lupron, you end right back where you started. ... it’s not a long-term fix. It’s very expensive. It does have a lot of side effects." ... "You know ... she would have had the same side effect [of weight gain] with the Lupron. And it is a - - not an easy drug to take. You know, we - - we almost judge the severity of people’s symptoms in endometriosis by how willing they are to tolerate Lupron. If you - - if you come in and you tell me that you can’t handle the [lupron] side effects, I figure you weren’t having that much pain in the first place. But the side effects are rough."

Dr. James Tappan (plaintiff's expert medical witness) "conceded that the fibroids would regrow once Lupron treatment stopped but asserted that data existed which suggested that Lupron therapy could be continued for a period of ten years." The court noted that "although Dr. Tappan made reference to “data” that indicated (contrary to the testimony of Dr. Blanton and Dr. Nolan) that Lupron therapy could be continued for a period of ten years, he did not provide specific information as to either the data or the medical histories of the patients upon which the data was based." (Of note, in another separate Louisiana medical malpractice lawsuit in 2016, Dr. Tappan testified that "Lupron treatment was one of the most popular options on the market for the treatment of endometriosis and was recommended by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology for treatment prior to a surgical diagnosis for chronic pelvic pain. ... Dr. Tappan also testified that Lupron is used in the treatment of adenomyosis.")   

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A number of law firms, attorney brokers, and consumer websites have posted informational notices online about Lupron and litigation, but to the best of my knowledge not one case has been filed by any of these groups. The following links are provided not with the expectation that these law firms will provide legal assistance, but rather these links are provided for informational purposes only: i.e., see here or here and here or here and here and here (the latter website erroneously states that Lupron's manufacturer "has not yet added any warning labels for long-term health problems", but, in fact, a number of warnings have been added, i.e., these).

2015 Salkowlaw.com (a legal firm that refers potential clients to attorneys) states: "Many class action lawsuits [vs. Lupron] have come about ... you may be entitled to compensation based upon the various Lupron class action suits that are taking place all over the country."

While I would like to think the above information is accurate, I cannot confirm that "various Lupron class action suits are taking place all over the country". Numerous class action lawsuits involving Lupron and billing fraud/price inflation have taken place throughout the country (see Left column, scroll below for info), but to the best of my knowledge the only class action lawsuits involving Lupron and personal injury/product liability were the 2 former cases 'Cardenas et al' and 'Arnett et al' (see Left column, scroll below for info).

And it should be mentioned that at the above Salkowlaw.com's Lupron page, there is an erroneous claim made - specifically that "[Lupron] does not prevent a person from having children later because the injections can be stopped when one wishes to try for kids". In fact, "Infertility", "Menstrual irregularities", "Premature Menopause", "Menopause", and "Abortion spontaneous" have all been reported to the FDA as adverse reactions to Lupron. And in an independent review of Lupron's raw data from the endometriosis clinical trials, Dr. Redwine found "62.5% of patients had not regained baseline estrogen levels by one year after stop of study ... This is definitive evidence of long-term damage to ovarian function" (see page 26 in this amicus curiae brief submitted to US Supreme Court regarding Lupron).

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TAKE NOTE regarding the matter of HOMICIDE and Lupron ... the FDA has rec'd a MedWatch report for Lupron with a reported adverse event of "Homicide". Scroll below, to end of 'Introduction to this page', for further details.

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Lupron and FRAUDULENT DATA:

As a result of Klein v. TAP/Abbott, Karin Klein's medical expert witness, Dr. David Redwine, had access to TAP/Abbott's endometriosis clinical trial data (which is under federal court seal, and thus not available for public inspection). As cited in pages 12 to 14 in a brief to the US Supreme Court (found at pages 25 to 27 of document), Dr. Redwine discovered evidence of fraudulent data and altered outcomes within the thousands of pages of TAP/Abbott's raw clinical trials data.

In 2011, Dr. Redwine submitted a 300-page 'Lupron Review' to the FDA ("Leuprolide - the "D" is Silent"), alerting and informing the FDA of the fraudulent data and altered outcomes discovered within this 1980's endometriosis clinical trials raw data. In 2013, the FDA responded and "determined that no regulatory action is needed" . The FDA response failed to address - or even mention - the fraudulent data and altered outcomes brought to its attention. This data has been hidden from the FDA during, and since, Lupron's FDA approval for 'pain management of endometriosis" - data that has been hidden for 30 years! If the FDA, tasked to ensure public safety, is not interested in investigating this 'circumstance' - exactly who would be interested? (Take note that several weeks ago, a top US scientific official quit in frustration over a "remarkably dysfunctional HHS bureaucracy"). See Open Letter to FDA from Lupron Victims Hub, mailed 3-17-14 and unanswered to date.

Recently, many pharmaceutical giants are releasing all their clinical trial data into accessible and searchable databases (see here, and here and here) - but AbbVie, like TAP and Abbott before it, sought to hide clinical trial data on its drugs (which includes Lupron). See EMA v. AbbVie (here also) --in which AbbVie (formerly known as TAP/Abbott) sued the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to prevent public disclosure of its clinical trial data. On April 2, 2014, the European parliment voted for clinical transparency; and as reported April 3, 2014, AbbVie dropped its case against EMA ... "AbbVie's efforts to impose secrecy on European regulators were scandalous" and "the time for secrecy is over". However, note that while AbbVie has acquiesced to transparency of its clinical trial data in Europe, in the U.S. TAP/Abbott/AbbVie still maintains a court seal on its endometriosis Lupron clinical trials data, preventing any public disclosure of the data from these endo trials.

See also the Takeda study on 'depression/suicide and GnRHa use' and note the censure of 'Study Results', 'Discussion' and 'Conclusions' on pages 4 - 7, and ponder the TOTAL BLACK-OUT of 'Key Findings' and 'Conclusions' for pages 87 - 175 (88 pages totally redacted). This data was censored because "disclosure would be prejudicial to commercial interests." For further details on the redaction of results of this study, see post under 'Noteworthy News', with a date of "rec'd December 2012", on 'Homepage'. (And take note that Takeda, after hiding data about its drug 'Actos', was just ordered to pay $6 Billion in damages.)

WHY does TAP/Abbott/AbbVie, and Takeda, need to keep their Lupron data redatced, out of the public view and under seal?? --- WHAT are they hiding?

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Have you ever wondered why, despite the fact that "bone pain", "arthralgias", and "joint pain" are acknowledged adverse events to Lupron (and were observed and documented as such in early Lupron studies), it is nonetheless quite difficult for Lupron victims (from East to West) to obtain acknowledgment, support, diagnosis or treatment for their bone pain from doctors?

In my 2003 congressional testimony (page 12), I relayed a relevant experience from the 1990's : "I pursued initial rheumatology work up for bone pain post-Lupron at the renowned hospital which had first prescribed Lupron to me, and during the course of my visits I was met with the standard “(pain) has no connection to Lupron”. Years later I would read that the head of this department had been a long-term highly paid consultant and scientific advisor for Lupron‟s manufacturer (with compensations rising each of the many years displayed) - and I've seen this doctor's signature on the contract where the pledge is taken to 'defend the company‟s products at all times in all ways'. In retrospect, I'm able to say 'no wonder no one there wanted to even hear about any connection between Lupron and problems' - but how many other patients know of conflicts of interest in their circumstance(s) ... and who will tell them?"

What connections do conflicts of interest play in the Lupron 'nightmare'? Is there any connection to the following 'Pharma Payments':

As a result of the 'Physician Payment Sunshine Act', ProPublica recently published updated data for its 'Dollars for Docs' project, and had this to report:

"The nation's 3,900 rheumatologists in the data averaged 40 days of interactions with drug and device companies, more than doctors in any other large specialty. They were followed closely by endocrinologists, electrophysiologists and interventional cardiologists. ... All told [in all specialties], 1,617 companies reported 15.7 million payments valued at $9.9 billion. Nearly all of those payments — 14.9 million — were classified as "general payments," covering promotional speaking, consulting, meals, travel and royalties. They totaled $3.5 billion over the 17-month period."

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Introduction to this page:

Much has been written about the infamous "Lupron billing fraud case" where Lupron's manufacturer paid the US gov't the then-highest fine in history - $875 million dollars (see left, below, @ 'Billing Fraud Lawsuits''). The manufacturer of Zoladex (another GnRHa, aka 'goserelin') was also sued by the US gov't for similar pricing schemes.

However, this page will focus on litigation involving the health risks of lupron as opposed to lupron’s billing fraud lawsuits. At the time of the government's investigation into lupron's billing fraud, I tried to interest the US Attorneys' office into an investigation of lupron's adverse health effects - to no avail. 

If you are thinking of suing AbbVie, Abbott, TAP (the latter corporation now defunct, but 'exists on paper for purposes of litigation') or your doctor because of lupron-related health problems, you will need to find a lawyer and doctor - notoriously difficult feats post-lupron. At any given time, law firms in several states are investigating possible claims involving lupron, and any further developments will be posted here. In my opinion, a massive class action lawsuit is inevitable.

Be aware of your state’s statute of limitations on filing a lawsuit … there is a finite period of time (varies from state to state, and generally is 2 or 3 years) in which you/your lawyer can file suit (unless belated discovery or fraud can be proven), so it is imperative that you understand ‘the clock begins ticking’ as soon as you realize you may have been harmed.  If you write a letter of complaint or concern about lupron's effects upon you to your doctor, state medical board, any state or federal agencies, or the drug company (or place a telephone call to the drug company), your written/spoken words are on record and could serve as a record in any future litigation. Obtain copies of your medical records, and keep a log of your symptoms, complaints, and doctor's visits. Keeping a log of your written and telephone communications can be very helpful, especially when memory is an issue.

At left, please find an incomplete list of lawsuits involving lupron - as more cases become known, and as I find misplaced slips of papers with other case names on it, more cases will be posted to this list. These particular lawsuits have been brought to my attention either through the newspaper, word of mouth, by internet chatrooms or message boards, or receipt via email, or searches of the internet, Justia, Lexis Nexis and PACER. The documents attached to several of the product liability or medical malpractice suits at left are all publicly available documents, found within court files that anyone can access if you know the case name, docket number, county, and state. 

All past lupron cases against TAP that I am aware of have been dismissed and/or quietly settled, with reported secrecy agreements and 'gag orders'.  Only one lupron litigation case has ever made it to trial - in 2011, in Nevada, the first Lupron lawsuit trial began; 'Klein v. TAP/Abbott. A trial should allow public scrutiny and exposure of the dangers, problems and casualities of lupron. But in 'Klein v. TAP/Abbott', much evidence was suppressed from the jury (i.e., lupron adverse event reports, and published medical studies identifying thyroid adverse effects), and Abbott's medical expert committed perjury under oath (stating lupron could not affect the thyroid) - and the jury ruled in favor of Abbott on 08-10-11. See 'Klein v. TAP' at left, below, for further information detailing the judicial travesty involved in this case.

The lawsuits identified only by initials at left are lawsuits I am aware of but for which at present I don’t have any docket number or documents for validation, so these cases will remain unnamed until/unless more information is acquired. 

In my own medical malpractice lawsuit involving lupron, many lawyers told me I “most definitely ha[d] a case, but without laws and standards [in the field of reproductive medicine] – and without a medical expert” they were unable to help me.  I was told “if you can find the medical expert, we’ll take the case”.  At the time of my lawsuit (1992) there was no medical expert willing to speak the truth about the risks and consequences of lupron (but that has thankfully changed), so I had to file my own lawsuit “pro se” (for self) - without an attorney - and without a medical expert.  In the place of "medical expert testimony", I submitted to the court a statement by the National Lupron Victim Network providing expert testimony on lupron, and additional testimony by Gena Corea. I never expected to prevail in my lawsuit, but rather wished to leave 'a paper trail' in the courts for those who followed me. (There was no internet back then!)

I’ve included relevant portions of my brief to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court at left fyi (@ 'Lupron Medical Malpractice') - the omitted portions pertain to matters unrelated to lupron (i.e., breach of confidentiality, breach of contract, bond).  Also at left, I've included questions and answers relevant to lupron during discovery in my lawsuit ('Millican Discovery'). These interrogatories are from 1993, and my questions at that time were basic - but some of their answers are just plain incredulous - such as "the side effects to lupron are minimal". The page from Boston IVF Clinic's patient brochure describing lupron actually says that side effects to lupron are basically limited to ill men with prostate cancer! 

If you should know of additional lawsuits (past or present) involving lupron/leuprolide/leuprorelin or other relins (other GnRHa's, i.e., nafarelin, buserelin, goserelin, histrelin, triptorelin) - please email the case name and state, and if known, the docket number and county;  and I will try to obtain further information from the courts for posting here. If you have court documents which you would be willing to share, please forward by snail mail (see 'Contact' for address). And if you are the recipient of a TAP secrecy agreement involving a settled lupron litigation, please consider mailing a redacted (whited-out) copy so this (blank) TAP secrecy agreement can be posted for all to see.

Thank you in advance to anyone willing to help bring exposure to the devastation that is lupron.

If posting this public information has brought disquiet to any plaintiffs, I truly regret this - but I believe the need to know (on the part of present and future victims, the public, lawyers, and the medical community) outweigh consideration for sensitivities.

The ultimate goal is to expose the extent of the serious iatrogenic illnesses causally related to lupron, to provide remedy (medicolegal advocacy) for those injured, and to ensure that lupron never harms again.

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Lupron and Homicide:

I have rec'd a request and authorization from an inmate at the Arizona State Prison, Michele Millikan, to relay her situation and to publicize a copy of her MedWatch form reporting the adverse event of Homicide while on lupron. First, here is a little background information:

At least as early as 1994 the lupron adverse event of "homicidal ideation" was reported to the FDA (by an OB/Gyn who felt the "homicidal ideation" evidenced during the patient's treatment for endometriosis was 'due to lupron / hypoestrogenism'). And it should be noted that a patient was dropped from the 1988 endometriosis lupron clinical trials due to "severe mood, dream-like state".

The FDA has rec'd MedWatch reports of the following adverse events to lupron (list is *not* inclusive): "depersonalization", "hallucinations", "memory loss", "memory disorder", "anxiety", "dream abnormalities", "emotional instability","disturbances in thinking", "thinking abnormally", "mood instability", "mental impairment", "depression", "manic reactions", "psychosis", "delusions", "paranoid reactions", "personality disorder", "suicide attempts", "psychotic depression", "suicide ideation", "suicide", and "homicidal ideation" (and now "homicide").

*Any* lupron 'drug review website' can be searched to find reports of lupron users feeling "in a brain fog", "not like myself", "angry", "paranoid", "delusional", "belligerant", "aggressive", "crazy", "psychotic", "experiencing memory loss", etc. Other various women's issues websites also contain similar posts: for just one example, search HysterSisters for "homicide and lupron". And elsewhere, On this one page alone, references to altered mental status while on lupron can be found -- see entry 'dated 2-10-12' to read post "'out-of-body' experiences, to the point I didn't know who I was" (17 yo endo patient); see entry 'dated 6-2-12' to read post "Absolutely batshit crazy disposition ... my crazy out of control behavior and moods so bad my boyfriend and I did not survive" (40 yo fibroid patient); see entry 'dated 6-12-12' to read post "EXTREME CRAZYNESS! I literally went crazy. Major anger issues. Wasn't myself at all." (30 yo endo patient); see entry 'dated 7-8-12" for "SEVERE panic" (48 yo endo patient).

In a former FaceBook post, one woman asked "Has anyone else has bouts of I guess I would call it amnesia where you losing [sic] a certain amount of time but then comes back within a few hours? and what did you do for it and did you find someone willing to help? (no one is listening. They told me to go to the ER what a waste went there and they said there was nothing they could do). I couldn't even remember marrying my husband. I remembered him thank God but I couldn't remember us getting married. What's next forgetting who my kids are?"

Michele Millikan's May 28, 2013 report to the FDA of the adverse event of homicide to lupron appears to be the first reported homicide associated with lupron or any other GnRHa. Many other drugs have been associated with "Homicide" - should lupron/leuprolide be on this list? Are there other cases similar to Michele's circumstances that have gone unreported?

Michele is currently serving an 18 year prison sentence for 2nd degree murder of her husband, committed while in a dissociative state (abnormal/altered state of mind) apparently caused/induced by lupron. Since Michele had a history of depression prior to lupron's use, and was depressed on lupron, she should not have been prescribed lupron in the first place and/or lupron should have been discontinued. (According to a 1993 study 'Adverse effects of leuprolide acetate depot treatment' ... : "Two of the most disturbing adverse effects experienced by women receiving lupron were depression and short-term memory loss. ... Although the mechanism of these symptoms are unclear, GnRH-a treatment should be discontinued if depression or short-term memory loss develops.")

In Michele Millikan's MedWatch form filed with the FDA (and mailed to me, along with other documents), in 'Section 5' of the form ("Describe event/problem"), Michele wrote "See attached page". The following is a copy of that attached page (filed May 28, 2013):

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"MedWatch 'Attached Page' of Michele Millikan:

Several days after my 6th injection of Lupron Depot, in some kind of an impossible-to-understand and difficult-to-explain 'fugue state', I killed my husband with a gunshot to the head while he was sleeping. I have NO MEMORY of waking up at 4 am in the morning on May 25, 1993 (or of the evening before) and I have NO MEMORY of retrieving the gun - the only memory of this horrific event I have is I do remember holding the gun pointed at him and thinking 'what am I doing?' With no further memory, and without any intent, and as if I had no control over my actions, I apparently did shoot and kill him. In shock afterwards, and, again, in an impossible-to-understand and difficult-to-explain state of mind, I told the police it was an 'accidental gun discharge as my husband was putting the gun away', and his death was ruled "inconclusive" in 1993. It was very hard for me to accept the truth that I had to have killed my husband. The severe guilt and utter confusion of how and why I could have done what I apparently did ate at me until 2001 when, against legal advice, I confessed to the police. I am now serving year 11 of the 18 year prison sentence I received for 2nd degree murder.

Our marriage was not perfect and like many marriages had its problems, but we had plans for the future, and were in the process of trying to conceive; and never once had I ever thought of harming, never mind killing my husband. I grew up in a Christian home, attended a Christian School, my father was the founder of a Biblical Counseling and Training Center, and both my husband and I worked at this Center. I did experience feelings of depression related to my infertility and marital stress, but I had no history of any kind of anger issues or emotional instability, had no prior criminal record - not even a speeding ticket. Committing this homicide was and is incomprehensible to me and to those who know me.

But recently I have learned that Lupron has a known history of causing serious, abnormal psychological symptoms, and I have been made aware that the FDA database contains the following reports: "disturbances in thinking", "memory loss", "thinking abnormally", "emotional instability", "mood instability", "mental impairment", "psychosis", "delusions", "paranoid reactions", "personality disorder", "suicide attempts", "suicide", and "homicidal ideation". And I have been made aware of countless public internet postings of women discussing the effects of Lupron and reporting "homicidal ideation", "extreme craziness", "severe mood swings", "out of body experiences", "wasn't myself at all", "not in control of my emtions", "foggy brain", "I didn't recognize myself in my behaviors", "memory loss", "very forgetful", "I turned into a different person", "doing some strange things I would have never done before", "severe episode of anger outburst; threatened to kill my boyfriend", and thousands more comments like these.

Since 1993 I have been plagued by the incomprehensibleness of my apparent actions - now I feel that finally there is an explanation for what happened to my mind and for what happened to my husband. Because of the extremely atypical and violent nature of my apparent actions, the timing of the Lupron injections with my 'fugue state', my life-long stable mental status, and my warm, even-tempered disposition before and since the event, I now strongly believe that Lupron was the causative factor in this homicide.

I also want to report to the FDA that while taking Lupron I suffered from numerous side effects - severe hot flashes, burning up from the inside out and soaking clothes, joint pain, irregular heart beat, depression, and memory lapses. To this day I continue to experience joint pain, irregular heart beat, and serious memory loss. In addition, I also have chronic headaches, numbness in the face, and shooting pains in my back, brain, eyes and chest."

Michele Millikan

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In light of Michele's discovery of the known lupron adverse mental status effects, and the fact that these serious mitigating effects were not considered in her sentencing, Michele is now attempting to explore a possible reduction or commutation of her remaining sentence (she has served 11 years of her 18 year sentence).

Transcripts of Michele's Grand Jury proceedings state that "With regards to mental capacity, at this point in time, that would not be a probable cause determination. That would have to be a determination by the trial judge. It is something you should not take into consideration in your determinations." (emphasis mine). ... In transcripts of the judge's Sentencing of Michele, he states: "And I considered in mitigation the mental state of Michele Millikan, at the time of the offense. I cannot say that I understand it, but it's clear that although Michele Millikan did understand the nature of right and wrong and that this act was wrong, her mental state was -- if there is such a word -- not norm at the time of the event. For a combination of factors that is described by the psychologist in the report that is written to me. And it is too lengthy to go over in detail at this time. It's the Judgment of this Court that the Defendant should be sentenced to the aggravated term of 18 years in the Department of Corrections because this Court thinks the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors." (emphasis mine) The "too lengthy" psychologist's report, in fact, states "all indicators are that Ms. Millikan was in a dissociative state of mind immediately prior to and during the death of [her husband]. Thus, Ms. Millikan can not be said to have intended to cause the death." Contrary to the judge's assessment that "it's clear [] Michele Millikan did understand the nature of right and wrong and that this act was wrong ...", in fact, the psychologist's report states otherwise.

It is hoped that a second look at Michele's circumstances can take place, this time with a clinically accurate understanding of the mitigating factors created by lupron's adverse psychological effects. Although the psychologist's report noted that in the months before the homicide, Michele was found to have a "clinically significant mood alteration", no mention of or association to lupron was ever made or considered. The introduction of the impact of adverse lupron mental status effects should be given the consideration it deserves.

Michele's family and friends have remained steadfastly by her side, are committed to helping her, and are likewise relieved to have some answers to explain Michele's inexplicable actions ("No one who knows Michele can understand how this could have happened".) They have reached out, asking if anyone who might have had abnormal mental state and/or violent experiences on lupron to contact them, as they are trying to find enough evidence to justify asking for a new trial or pardon. To date, they have heard from a woman in Ohio who is willing to testify on Michele's behalf that while she was on lupron, she experienced inexplicable moods and behaviors resulting in her attacking her husband, hitting him in the head and requiring stitches.

If you, or someone you know, have or has experienced (or is experiencing) any of the above reported adverse psychiatric effects from lupron, or know of any instances of violence or homicide committed by someone on lupron, and would like to help Michele, please contact Michele's friend Erin Moosbrugger at erinmoose@cox.net, or email here.