A pharmaceutical company is facing serious allegations over a drug that allegedly causes permanent hearing damage. On August 9, 2024, Judith Bell filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Horizon Therapeutics USA, Inc.
Judith Bell’s lawsuit claims that Horizon Therapeutics’ prescription drug Tepezza®, used to treat thyroid eye disease (TED), caused her permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. According to the complaint, Horizon Therapeutics failed to warn patients and healthcare providers about these severe side effects until July 2023—three months after Bell began her treatment with Tepezza. The plaintiff asserts that Horizon was aware or should have been aware of the risks associated with Tepezza but did not adequately inform users or regulatory bodies until it was too late.
The lawsuit details how Bell received a series of Tepezza infusions from April 4, 2023, through September 19, 2023. During this period, neither she nor her physicians were warned about the potential for permanent hearing damage. It wasn’t until July 2023 that Horizon updated Tepezza’s label to include warnings about “severe hearing impairment including hearing loss” and advised monitoring patients’ hearing before, during, and after treatment.
Bell’s case also references numerous scientific studies and patient reports indicating that Tepezza can cause irreversible hearing damage. Despite this evidence, Horizon continued to market and sell the drug without adequate warnings. The complaint accuses Horizon of fraudulent and illegal conduct related to the design, testing, marketing, and distribution of Tepezza.
The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages for her injuries as well as statutory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs. The lawsuit highlights that Bell now suffers from permanent hearing loss as a direct result of using Tepezza.
This article was first published in Cook County Record.
