Articles Posted in Dangerous Drugs

The estate of a woman who bled to death is suing pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim for her wrongful death. Gertrude Eubanks died on April 4, 2011 from internal bleeding just days after she started taking Pradaxa, an anticoagulant. The drug, which is supposed to prevent strokes in individuals with atrial fibrillation, was introduced in the US on October 2010 and offered as an alternative to Coumadin (warfarin).

However, Pradaxa, unlike Coumadin, lacks a reversal agent that can be used to stop bleeding problems. This lack of an antidote is reportedly causing a number of these people to die.

The US Food and Drug Administration has now received hundreds of reports about internal bleeding and hemorrhaging. For example, one man suffered a fatal massive brain hemorrhage after a fall accident. He too had been taking Pradaxa. Also earlier this year, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices issued a report confirming at least 505 Pradaxa-related bleeding events Compare that to the 176 bleeding incidents involving Warfarin reported. Federal regulators are now looking into whether Pradaxa is safe for use.

If you believe you have a Massachusetts Pradaxa case on your hands, our Boston injury lawyers want to hear from you.

According to the Eubanks estate’s dangerous drug lawsuit, she started taking Pradaxa in March 26, 2011. She began to experience internal bleeding, which led to her death nine days later. During the time she was on the anticoagulant, she experienced serious mental anguish.

Her wrongful death complaint contends that Pradaxa was defectively designed and that the manufacturer should have known that the warnings made available with the drug were insufficient. The inadequate warnings prevented Eubanks and her doctors from knowing the risks involved for her when taking the medication. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence, breach of duty to Eubanks, not doing enough to notify medical professionals and consumers about the risks involved, and failing to take Pradaxa off the market even after all of the reports of serious bleeding side effects.

Other Pradaxa lawsuits are being filed.

Death magnifies Pradaxa hemorrhage concerns, Fox, March 7, 2012

Study: Higher heart attack risk from pradaxa, CBS News, January 11, 2012

More Blog Posts:
Another Boston Injury Lawsuit Blames DES Drug for Causing Newton Woman’s Breast Cancer, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 30, 2012

Aspirin Causes Some People More Harm than Good, Says Study, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 21, 2012

Adverse Reactions to Diabetes Meds, Antiplatelet Drugs, Blood Thinner, and Insulin Linked to Elderly Seniors Ending Up in the ER, Reports New Study, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, November 26, 2011 Continue reading

50 years after her birth, Arline MacCormack believes that the DES drug that her mother took while she was pregnant has caused her to now develop breast cancer. MacCormack, a Newton resident, is one of more than 50 women in the US have filed products liability lawsuits against the drug manufacturers for marketing diethylstilbestrol to women who were expecting babies between 1938 and the early 70’s. Millions of women in different countries took the drug to prevent birth problems, include premature births and miscarriages.

It wasn’t until 1971, after a studied showed that taking DES increased the chances that the female babies might develop vaginal cancer years later, that the FDA told physicians to stop prescribing the drug to women who were pregnant. Since then, thousands of dangerous drug lawsuits have been filed by DES daughters who claim the drug caused their infertility issues, cervical cancer, and vaginal cancer. A lot of these products liability cases were settled before going to court.

MacCormack’s Boston DES lawsuit is considered the first significant lawsuit claiming a connection between breast cancer and DES in women over 40. She is blaming 14 drug manufacturers, including Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Eli Lilly and Co,. for not letting the FDA and doctors know that DES came with serious safety risks and actually did not stop miscarriages from happening.

The Newton woman was 44 when she was diagnosed with the disease. She says the type of breast cancer she has is more associated with women over 60.

MacCormack’s claims are supported by a recent study involving National Cancer Institute researcher Dr. Robert Hover. The study suggests that DES daughters older than 40 have a 1 in 25 risk of developing breast cancer, while other women in that age range (until they turn 55) have a 1 in 50 chance. Drug manufacturers have disputed this.

Earlier this month, a federal judge in Boston heard the drug makers’ motions claiming that the opinions of the experts the female plaintiffs’ have cited aren’t based on reliable science. They want any testimony from the experts excluded from the case. U.S. Magistrate Judge Marianne Bowler, however, turned down their motions and has told the drug manufactures to go into mediation with the women plaintiffs.

Boston lawsuit claims DES-breast cancer link, USA Today, January 10, 2012
Judge orders talks in DES-breast cancer case, MassLive, January 20, 2012

More Blog Posts:
Aspirin Causes Some People More Harm than Good, Says Study, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, January 21, 2012
Adverse Reactions to Diabetes Meds, Antiplatelet Drugs, Blood Thinner, and Insulin Linked to Elderly Seniors Ending Up in the ER, Reports New Study, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, November 26, 2011
Man Awarded $48.1M Dangerous Drug Verdict in Products Liability Lawsuit Over Motrin, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, October 7, 2011 Continue reading

According to a recent study, baby aspirin may not be good for everyone. While close to a third of middle-aged Americans take this medication on a daily basis to prevent stroke or heart attack or reduce the risk of cancer, for some the risks of aspirin may outweigh any benefits.

You can find out more about these findings in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers analyzed several studies about the use of aspirin in Europe, the US, and Japan that involved over 100,000 participants. Subjects had never suffered a stroke or a heart attack and they had been given either a placebo or actual aspirin to help determine the latter’s benefits.

The New York Times, which published an article about the study, said the researchers reported that although people who took aspirin regularly had a 20% less chance of suffering a nonfatal heart attack and a 10% less chance of having any kind of heart event, the risks for at least some good be greater than the benefits. People who took aspirin had a 30% greater likelihood of experiencing gastrointestinal bleeding. Also, the study did not find cancer prevention to be a resulting side effect of taking aspirin regularly.

Also, while many believe that aspirin protects from stroke and heart attack because it acts like a blood thinner, thinning out the blood can lead to brain bleeding and gastrointestinal bleeding. Some medical professionals have said that the risk of bleeding from taking aspirin may rise as a person grows older. Also, while taking aspirin can reduce pain, fever, and inflammation, this effect may reduce the stomach’s protective layer, potentially upping the risk of ulcer.

It is a good idea to consult with your doctor to determine whether taking aspirin is best for you. That said, if you believe that you suffered health complications or illness from taking an over-the-counter drug, a medication that a doctor prescribed to you, and/or one that a drug manufacturer failed to provide adequate warning about the side effects involved, you may have grounds for a Boston personal injury case on the grounds of Massachusetts medical malpractice or products liability/dangerous drug.

Daily Aspirin Is Not for Everyone, Study Suggests, New York Times, January 16, 2012
Archives of Internal Medicine

Dangers of Taking Aspirin Daily, The Wall Street Journal, February 23, 2010

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Adverse Reactions to Diabetes Meds, Antiplatelet Drugs, Blood Thinner, and Insulin Linked to Elderly Seniors Ending Up in the ER, Reports New Study, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, November 26, 2011
Boston Personal Injury?: Use of Psychotropic Drugs Can Prove Fatal for Some Elderly Patients, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 30, 2011
Man Awarded $48.1M Dangerous Drug Verdict in Products Liability Lawsuit Over Motrin, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, October 7, 2011

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Continue reading

According to a recent study, there are four kinds of medications that are most commonly linked to adverse reactions that end up sending about 100,000 elderly persons to the emergency room each year. These medications are the blood thinner warfarin, insulin, oral hypoglycemic agents, and antiplatelet drugs. Meantime, meds considered “high-risk” were only a factor in 1.2% of these hospitalizations. More on the study can be found in the New England Journal of Medicine’s November 24 issue.

Our Boston injury lawyers want to remind you of the important of doctors notifying patients of any risks involved with taking certain medications-especially when taking more than one drug. There also may be a way to treat someone’s condition without medication. Meantime, it is also the responsibility of drug manufacturers to make sure that they warn doctors and consumers of any adverse reactions that can result from taking a medication, while keeping serious side effects to a minimum. Failure to fulfill these duties can be grounds for a Massachusetts dangerous drug lawsuit.

Researchers involved in this recent study identified between 2007 and 2009 over 5,000 involving patients in the 65 and over age group that experienced an adverse reaction to certain medications. 48% of those who were hospitalized belonged to the age 80 and over age group. Accidental overdose was a factor in 66% of these incidents.

Of the four types of medications most commonly cited, bleeding was the main issue of concern for the blood thinners and antiplatelets. Seizures, confusion, loss of consciousness, and other changes in mental states were side effects associated with the diabetes medications.

The study notes how important it to be aware that when seniors are involved (especially those older than 80), there appears to be a higher risk of adverse side effects than if the person taking the medication was younger. However, it is important to remember that many of the patients were taking these drugs because they have to in order to maintain their health. The authors of the study noted that 40% of seniors are taking at least medications at a time, while about 18% have to take 10 drugs or more.

Four common meds send thousands of seniors to hospital, USA Today, November 25, 2011
Emergency Hospitalizations for Adverse Drug Events in Older Americans, New England Journal of Medicine, November 24, 2011

More Blog Posts:
Man Awarded $48.1M Dangerous Drug Verdict in Products Liability Lawsuit Over Motrin, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, October 7, 2011
Boston Personal Injury Lawsuit Blames Prenatal Exposure to DES for Breast Cancer, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, September 29, 2011
Boston, Massachusetts Accutane Lawsuits Blame Acne Drug for Severe Intestinal Problems, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, August 2, 2011 Continue reading

A jury has awarded 22-year-old Christopher Trejo $48.1 million in his products liability lawsuit against McKesson Corp., McNeil Consumer Healthcare, and Johnson & Johnson. Trejo claimed he developed Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolosysis as a teenager after taking Motrin for his fever in 2005.

Soon after, skin developed lesions and blisters and he was treated for injuries similar to second-degree burns. His vision and internal organs also became damaged.

In 2008, Trejo filed a dangerous drug lawsuit accusing the defendants of negligence, design negligence, and failure to warn about certain complications. Motrin finally included warnings on its label that rashes, blistering, and reddened skin were possible risks in 2006-a year after Trejo took the pain reliever.

Trejo is not the only one to suffer severe injuries from taking Motrin. Earlier this year, a jury awarded Brianna Maya’s family $10 million in their dangerous drug lawsuit against J & J’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare.

The 13-year-old was just 3 when she took alternating doses of Children’s Tylenol and Children’s Motrin to help quell her fever. Soon after, she developed burns and blisters inside and outside her body, became blind in one eye, and was treated for burn injuries. Doctors determined that her symptoms were a reaction to taking Children’s Motrin.

When rendering its Motrin lawsuit verdict, the jury found that the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary did not properly warn consumers about the possible risk of developing SJS and TEN. In the wake of developing both illnesses, Brianna has had to undergo recurring eye surgeries, suffers from periodic lung and eye infections, and now experience seizures. She also won’t ever be able to experience normal sexual relations or have kids.

It is imperative that drug manufacturers warn of serious health complications that can result from taking any kind of medication, whether over-the-counter or prescription. While the prescription version of Motrin has always included references to TEN and SJS and potentially fatal reactions, the nonprescription version, which is the one that both Trejo and Maya took, did not specifically mention either condition by name.

Man awarded $48 million in Motrin illness case, Contra Costa Times, October 3, 2011
Motrin Lawsuit: Jury Awards Girl $10 Million for Burns and Blindness, ABCNews, June 3, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Motrin

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome , Mayo Clinic

More Blog Posts:

Boston Personal Injury Lawsuit Blames Prenatal Exposure to DES for Breast Cancer, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, September 29, 2011
Boston, Massachusetts Accutane Lawsuits Blame Acne Drug for Severe Intestinal Problems, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, August 2, 2011
Propecia Lawsuits: Plaintiffs Claim Hair Loss Drug May Cause Permanent Impotence, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, June 6, 2011 Continue reading

A Reading, Massachusetts is the latest plaintiff of a Boston personal injury lawsuit seeking damages from drug manufacturers, including ex-DES drur makers Bristol-Myers Squibb and Eli Lilly, for her breast cancer. Barbara Bradlee believes she developed breast cancer because she was exposed to the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) while her mom was still pregnant with her. DES, an estrogen medication, used to prescribed to pregnant moms a few decades ago because it was thought the drug would stop miscarriages.

Studies eventually showed, however, that DES was not effective and could cause cancer and reproductive tract defects in females who were exposed to them while they were still in their mothers’ wombs. Bradlee, 52, was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago.

While the drug manufacturers are continuing to maintain that the link between breast cancer and DES is not definitive, a study conducted by Julie Palmer, who is a Boston University epidemiologist, found that the the risk of breast cancer in women over 40 who experienced prenatal exposure to DES is double that of the average woman. Palmer, however, did tell the Boston Globe that the risk of breast cancer from prenatal DES exposure is not high and this connection has not been confirmed.

That said, considering that the risk of a female who wasn’t exposed to DES for developing cancer is one out of eight and it is one out of four for women who experienced prenatal DES exposure is 1 in 4-that’s a 25% cancer risk. According to the American Cancer Society, about 5 to 10 million people were exposed to DES, including pregnant moms and their babies.

DES exposure has also been linked to vaginal adenocarcinoma. Some studies report that a DES daughter’s risk of developing this rare type of cancer is 40 times more than that of the average female women. Approximately 1 out of a thousand women under age 30 who were exposed to the drug in this manner will develop these cancer tumors.

Dangerous Drugs
Unfortunately, there are dangerous medications that can cause serious harm to the fetus. This can result in serious birth defects and other injuries and health complications after delivery. Drug manufacturers must be held liable for Massachusetts products liability if their medications caused these types of injuries-especially as many others wouldn’t have taken these medications if they’d known the possible health complications they could be creating for their children.

Possible breast cancer link to DES exposure spurs Boston lawsuit, Boston.com, September 28, 2011
Prenatal diethylstilbestrol exposure and risk of breast cancer, PubMed.gov
Vaginal Cancer, American Cancer Society
Prenatal diethylstilbestrol exposure and risk of breast cancer, NIH.gov

More Blog Posts:

Boston, Massachusetts Accutane Lawsuits Blame Acne Drug for Severe Intestinal Problems, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, August 2, 2011
Study Reports that Epilepsy Drugs May Up Pregnancy Risks, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, June 15, 2011
Propecia Lawsuits: Plaintiffs Claim Hair Loss Drug May Cause Permanent Impotence, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, June 6, 2011 Continue reading

Plaintiffs blaming Accutane for severe intestinal issues are continuing to submit their dangerous drug lawsuits to the courts. Our Boston products liability lawyers represent Massachusetts clients who have suffered serious health complications from taking pharmaceutical products. If you or someone you love has developed Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disorder, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, ulcerative colitis, hair loss, depression, and suicidal tendencies you may have reason for filing a Massachusetts dangerous drug complaint against Roche and generic makers of this medication, which is often used to treat acne. Accutane is no longer sold in the United States.

In New Jersey state court alone-where all of the actions pending in the state were consolidated into one mass action-a least 5,169 Accutane injury lawsuits have been filed as of last month. That’s almost two thousands new complaints since early May. All of the dangerous drug cases accuse LaRoche and generic drug manufacturers of not doing enough research on the medication and failing to warn about the risk of serious side effects. Seven of the first nine cases have been decided in favor of the plaintiffs. To date, Roche has been ordered to pay over $55 million.

One of the largest Accutane injury damages awarded to a plaintiff so far is $25 million. Andrew McCarrell started taking Accutane isotretinoin in June 1995 when he was a college football player. He stopped taking the medication after about four months. The next summer, he developed inflammatory bowel disease and then later Corhn’s disease. In December 1996 he had to have his rectum and colon. McCarrell has undergone several surgeries because of his IBD. A jury initially awarded him $2.62 million in 2007. Hoffman-LaRoche appealed the verdict and the case was remanded to back to trial. This time, the court awarded McCarrell $25.16 million.

Unfortunately, every year there are patients who suffer serious injuries and side effects from taking a medication. Sometimes the drug manufacturer wasn’t aware that the drug wasn’t safe for use or posed such serious risks. In another instances, pharmaceutical companies may have known about the risks but chosen to conceal

Accutane, New Jersey Courts
Roche

Accutane (Isotretinoin), National Center for Biotechnology Information

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Study Reports that Epilepsy Drugs May Up Pregnancy Risks, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, June 15, 2011
Propecia Lawsuits: Plaintiffs Claim Hair Loss Drug May Cause Permanent Impotence, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, June 6, 2011
Massachusetts Dangerous Drug?: FDA Pulls Avandia Because of Cardiovascular Risks, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, May 23, 2011 Continue reading

According to a study published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, women taking drugs to treat their epilepsy are at greater risk of suffering form pregnancy complications than women who are not taking anti-seizure medications. The researchers, who are from the University of Bergen, also say that women taking this type of medication are at higher risk of developing pre-eclampsia (this can prove deadly to both mother and child), postpartum hemorrhage, vaginal building, and birth complications requiring cesarean or vaginal operative delivery.

The study examined over 400 woman who had babies in Bergen between 1999 and 2006. Half the women in the study had epilepsy. While 8% of the women taking antiseizure medications had pre-eclampsia while they were pregnant, only 3% of those who hadn’t taken the drug suffered from the same condition. Also, researchers say that women taking antiseizure meds were twice as likely to have to undergo emergency C-section and induced labor and 6 ½ times more likely to deliver a baby with birth defects. Our Boston injury lawyers would like to remind you that if you or someone you love was injured or suffered health complications or developed birth defects from taking any type of medication, you may have grounds for a Massachusetts products liability lawsuit.

It was just in 2006 that the Food and Drug Administration added a “black box” warning notifying user that Depakote, which is used to treat epilepsy, upped the likelihood of birth defects. A study showed that 20% of moms who had been taking the drugs while pregnant had babies with birth defects or malformations, such as cleft palate, spina bifida, malformed limbs, abnormal skull development, urinary tract problems, and holes in the heart. Similar side effects have been linked to the epilepsy drugs Tegretol, Epitol, and Equetrol. Earlier this year, the FDA added new warnings about the epilepsy drug Topamax to let people know that the medication increased the chances that infants exposed to it during the first trimester of pregnancy might be born with oral clefts.

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology


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Massachusetts Dangerous Drug?: FDA Pulls Avandia Because of Cardiovascular Risks, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, May 23, 2011
Boston Personal Injury?: Use of Psychotropic Drugs Can Prove Fatal for Some Elderly Patients, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 30, 2011
Massachusetts Dangerous Drug?: Women Affected by Yaz Birth Control May Have Grounds for Lawsuit, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 26, 2011 Continue reading

Propecia is one of the medications prescribed for male pattern baldness. However, recently there has been growing concern that use of Propecia may lead to permanent impotence in some men. Propecia is made by Merck & Co.

In their dangerous drug lawsuits, the plaintiffs are accusing the drug manufacture of failing to adequately warn of the potential sexual side effects. The risks shouldn’t come as a surprise to Merck, considering that Propecia belongs to a class of drug known as the 5-alpha-reductable inhibitors, which is linked to impotence, erectile dysfunction, depression, and a decrease in sexual desire.

A study recently published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine affirms these concerns. The researchers found that drugs often prescribed to treat hair loss (and also benign prostatic hyperplasia) and baldness that contain finasteride or dutasteride may cause irreversible sexual dysfunction and depression. Finasteride is the active ingredient in Propecia.

Boston University School of Medicine Professor Abdulmaged M. Traish, who is the study’s lead researcher, says that nearly everyone who takes these drugs usually experience some of the side effects-although some people more severely than others-and in some cases the effects are permanent even after the men have stopped taking the medication. The professor refers to this outcome as a “life sentence.”

Traish’s team also reports:
• 8% of men who used the drugs experienced erective dysfunction.
• 4.2% said their libido was reduced • Other side effects included depression, decreased semen volume, and reduced ejaculation
Although these side effects are not fatal, they can be physically and psychologically damaging.

Other side effects linked to Propecia:
• Memory loss • Anxiety attacks • Insomnia • Hyper tension • Breathing problems • Bipolar mood disorder • Hypersensitivty
• Lethargy • Cognitive dysfunction • Breast enlargement • Male breast cancer • Testicular pain • Social withdrawal • Amotivational sydrome
Our Boston products liability lawyers represent clients who have suffered injury, illness, or serious side effects from taking medication. Drug manufacturers must warn of possible side effects and make medicines that don’t cause serious harm.

Sexual Side Effects From Propecia, Avodart May Be Irreversible, Medicine.net, March 10, 2011
The Journal of Sexual Medicine

Finasteride

Propecia

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Massachusetts Dangerous Drug?: FDA Pulls Avandia Because of Cardiovascular Risks, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, May 23, 2011
Massachusetts Dangerous Drug?: Women Affected by Yaz Birth Control May Have Grounds for Lawsuit, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 26, 2011
Massachusetts Dangerous Drug Lawsuit Says Raptiva Caused Serious Infections, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 8, 2011 Continue reading

The US Food and Drug Administration says that starting November 18, Avandia will no longer be sold at retail pharmacies in the US because the diabetes drug poses too high a cardiovascular risk to patients. Instead, people allowed to take Avandia will be able to get the drug through mail-order pharmacies only. Avandia also will only be available to drug users that have been safely using the medication, those that don’t have a problem using other diabetes drugs to control their blood sugar, and diabetes patients that are opting to take the drug even though they know of the risks. If you believe that your health issues or your loved one’s death was caused by taking Avandia, do not hesitate to speak with an experienced Boston products liability law firm immediately.

Avandia is made by GlaxoSmithKline. According to a 2007 study, the risk of a type 2 diabetes patient suffering a heart attack went up 40% when that person started taking Avandia. Other studies have confirmed this higher risk.

Despite these findings from a few years ago, some cardiologists are wondering why the FDA waited until now to take action. Also, as our Boston dangerous drug lawyers have reported in past blog posts, drug manufactures are supposed to make sure that their medications are not dangerous for use. Yet, unfortunately, there are drugs out there that have been FDA-approved but continue to cause serious health complications for patients. For example, Avandia has, in rare instances, been linked to life-threatening liver complications. Other possible side effects from this diabetes drug include headaches, respiratory infections, bone fractures, edema, fluid retention, and abnormal ovulation.

FDA to Pull Diabetes Drug Avandia from Pharmacy Shelves, US News, May 19, 2011
FDA puts heavy restrictions on Avandia, McKnights’s, May 20, 2011

Related Web Resources:
Food and Drug Administration

Avandia, NIH
Glaxo Smith Kline

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Boston Personal Injury?: Use of Psychotropic Drugs Can Prove Fatal for Some Elderly Patients, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 30, 2011
Massachusetts Dangerous Drug?: Women Affected by Yaz Birth Control May Have Grounds for Lawsuit, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, March 26, 2011
Massachusetts Dangerous Drug Lawsuit Says Raptiva Caused Serious Infections, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 8, 2011 Continue reading

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