Codeine FAQ

What is codeine?
How popular is codeine?
What risks are associated with codeine?
Is codeine safe for children to take?
Can codeine cause breathing problems?
Can I file a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer of codeine?
Do I qualify to participate in a codeine lawsuit?

What is codeine?

Codeine is an opiate used to treat pain, as a cough medicine, and for diarrhea.

How popular is codeine?

Codeine is currently the most widely prescribed opioid medication in the U.S., according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

What risks are associated with codeine?

Codeine has very serious potential health risks including:

• Tolerance – Occurs when people take higher and higher doses to feel the same relief from symptoms.
• Withdrawal symptoms – Symptoms such as head/muscle aches, mood swings, insomnia, nausea and diarrhoea occur when codeine is stopped. People can be confused by these symptoms and think they need to take more codeine for longer or in higher doses.
• Codeine poisoning – Can result from taking more than the recommended dose of the other active ingredients (eg, paracetamol or ibuprofen) in the combination medicine.
• Liver damage – High doses or long-term use of codeine can result in liver damage.
• Other risks of codeine include internal bleeding, kidney failure and heart attack.

Is codeine safe for children to take?

No. On January 11, 2018, FDA announced that it was requiring labeling changes on prescription cough and cold medicines containing codeine or hydrocodone to limit the use of these products to adults 18 years and older due to concerns the risks of these medicines outweigh their benefits.

Can codeine cause breathing problems?

When used on children, codeine products have been linked to life-threatening breathing problems, such as slow or difficulty breathing and deaths. Codeine should never be used to treat pain or a cough in children younger than 18 years of age.

Can I file a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer of codeine?

Our lawyers are currently only filing individual lawsuits on behalf of people who were severely injured by codeine side effects. We decided on this course because class action lawsuits often result in lower payouts and higher attorney fees in this type of litigation. Our law firm understands that our clients are suffering emotionally and economically due to loss of wages and/or high medical bills, and we plan to maximize each client’s recovery by filing individual codeine lawsuits on their behalf.

Do I qualify to participate in a codeine lawsuit?

If you believe you or a loved one was injured by codeine, you must meet the following 3 criteria to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for your injuries:

1. The victim must have held a codeine prescription at the time of hospitalization or death from an overdose.
2. The prescription codeine must have been the cause of the overdose that lead to hospitalization or death.
3. Eligible parties include actual victims of the injury, or in the case of death, their family members.