Woman Wins Gadolinium Lawsuit
Posted by Administrator (admin) on Jul 17 2008 at 5:21 PM
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A Tennessee woman suffering from Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF) has won a lawsuit with her insurance company. A judge has ordered TennCare to compensate for a treatment that could save Jeanie Deason’s life. The suit was filed two years back.

TennCare is Tennessee’s Medicaid managed care program providing health coverage for low-income children, pregnant women and disabled Tennesseans. Earlier, TennCare had declined to cover the treatment (extracorporeal photopheresis) for Deason because it was measured experimental.

Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis is a disease that results in the formation of a thick, hardening of the skin on the arms and legs, and could involve scarring of internal organs. It is also referred to as Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy (NFD). This devastating condition normally affects people with pre-existing kidney problems who have been exposed to gadolinium contrast dyes that are used in MRI procedures. So far, NSF is incurable and nobody understands its specific cause. The disorder is distinguished by high blood pressure, burning, itching, swelling and hardening of the skin. Other symptoms include red or dark patches on the skin; pain deep in the hip bones or ribs and muscle weakness. NSF can progress to the point of causing severe stiffness in joints, and it can be deadly.

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has asked the manufacturers of gadolinium contrast dyes to add a black box warning to the product labels about its association with NSF. The FDA has also warned kidney patients to avoid gadolinium contrast agents.

Deason’s NSF has developed to the point where her legs and right arm have become frozen in a bent position.  During the fight with TennCare her condition deteriorated to the point where she needs somebody to stay with her 24 hours a day.  Now she is spending her days in bed, limbs throbbing, only getting up when her parents help her go to the bathroom.  She even had to neglect her daughter’s graduation.

The treatment that Deason wishes could reinstate some normalcy to her life is known as extracorporeal photopheresis.  It involves taking away blood from a patient’s body, exposing it to ultraviolet light and then re-infusing the blood into the body. The treated blood is supposed to alter the body’s immune system so it can better fight the disease. The expense for this is around $8000 for one treatment.

Deason is pleased with the ruling and she hopes it has not come too late.

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