Gadolinium-based contrast agents have been in the news quite often in the last few months, due mostly to new regulations imposed by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

On September 9, 2010 the FDA announced a mandatory labeling change for gadolinium-based contrast agents, warning about the risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis among patients with renal disease. The potentially fatal and untreatable disease had been linked to gadolinium-based contrast agents by a number of studies.

The announcement came after an FDA Advisory Committee held a public hearing on December 8, 2009 to specifically address the link between NSF and gadolinium-based contrast agents. The committee recommended a labeling change on three specific contrast agents: Omniscan, Magnevist, and Optimark. After the hearing, the FDA imposed a black box warning on four other contrast agents: ProHance, MultiHance, Eovist, and Ablavar.

The FDA's announcement mirrors thousands of lawsuits filed nationwide by patients who developed NSF after using a gadolinium-based contrast agent. If you or someone you love has been administered a gadolinium-based contrast agent in the past and has since developed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, you may be entitled to financial compensation. To speak with a gadolinium lawyer please call Williams Kherkher at 800-761-3187.