Patients taking teprotumumab (Tepezza) for the treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) may experience hearing loss, muffled hearing, and other potentially irreversible hearing symptoms at a rate that is higher than previously reported. According to a study conducted by researchers at Stanford University, side effects of the Thyroid Eye Disease medication may cause hearing problems in up to two-thirds (65%) of people who use it and these hearing problems may persist even after the treatment is discontinued. If you or someone you know took Tepezza and suffered any kind of hearing impairment, do not hesitate to seek legal help. You may have grounds to file a Tepezza injury lawsuit against the manufacturer, which may help you recover the financial compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Tepezza (teprotumumab) is the first and only medication approved by the FDA to treat Thyroid Eye Disease, a rare but serious eye disease causing inflammation and damage to the tissue and muscles around the eyes. People with TED may experience proptosis, or abnormal protrusion or outward bulging of one or both eyes, double vision, difficulty closing the eyes, and other problems with vision. Patients taking Tepezza for TED receive the drug via intravenous infusion once every three weeks for a total of eight infusions, and it has been shown to be effective in improving proptosis, soft tissue inflammation, double vision, and quality of life in patients with TED.
A relatively new treatment, Tepezza has been on the market in the United States for just over two years, yet it has already raised concerns about the potential risk of irreversible side effects in users. In a small study presented virtually at an annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in 2021, researchers from Stanford University found that 65% of patients taking Tepezza reported otologic symptoms such as hearing loss or muffled hearing, which is a significantly higher percentage than previously reported. In two clinical trials conducted before Tepezza gained approval from the FDA, hearing problems were reported in only 10% of patients. The authors of this new study state that while Tepezza is an effective treatment for TED, there are known risks associated with the drug, including hearing impairment.
Although hearing loss side effects from Tepezza were previously reported to be reversible upon stopping the drug, there is evidence that any hearing problems that do occur may not completely disappear after discontinuing Tepezza treatment. According to the study results, 65% of patients treated with at least four infusions of teprotumumab complained of hearing problems, the most common problems being hearing loss, tinnitus (a ringing in the ears), an ear plugging sensation, and autophony (when a person’s own voice sounds unusually loud to them). The hearing symptoms developed after an average of 3.6 infusions, and while some patients experienced improvement in their symptoms after three months, the issues did not completely disappear. The Stanford University researchers indicate that the three-month follow-up period after stopping Tepezza treatment is too short to accurately gauge the persistence of hearing symptoms associated with Tepezza.
Patients prescribed medications like Tepezza expect the drug treatment to help them manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life without causing them additional harm. However, there are many drugs currently on the market that come with a risk of side effects about which users have not been properly warned. The researchers involved in this new Tepezza study aim to raise awareness about the potential risk of hearing symptoms among Tepezza patients and recommend certain screenings in users, such as baseline audiogram testing. If you or a loved one developed hearing problems like muffled hearing or hearing loss after receiving one or more Tepezza infusions, contact Consumer Safety Watch today. We understand how devastating it can be to experience irreversible side effects of a medication you believed would help treat a medical condition, and we can put you in touch with a skilled Tepezza injury attorney who can help.
