In a $10 million lawsuit against medical device manufacturers, veteran Hollywood action star Chuck Norris is claiming that Gadolinium – a chemical contrast agent used to improve clarity of MRI scans – poisoned his wife.
Why it’s Important
More than 300 million people around the world have been administered with gadolinium-based contrast agents since the late 1980s.
The U.S. FDA has found no evidence of gadolinium retained in the body being harmful.
An EU agency came to the same conclusion but still recommends precaution while using certain gadolinium-based agents.
However, urine and blood testing for gadolinium are relatively new, and doctors are only aware of one disease associated with gadolinium.
The Details
In the lawsuit, filed in the San Francisco Superior Court, Norris says that his wife, Gena Norris, was left weak and tired, with a burning sensation and debilitating periods of pain after her doctors injected gadolinium ahead of her MRIs.
The lawsuit also claims that several gadolinium manufacturers were aware of the risks but did not warn consumers.
Norris seeks $10 million in damages and claims that he spent millions of dollars on Gena Norris’ treatment.
Cutter Law, which is representing Chuck and Gena Norris in this case, has also filed suits on behalf of others allegedly affected the same way.
Why it’s Important
