A recent court filing reveals a significant legal battle involving allegations of severe side effects from a widely used prescription drug. Janet H. Poole filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on April 1, 2025, against Horizon Therapeutics USA, Inc., alleging that the company's drug Tepezza caused her permanent hearing damage.
Janet H. Poole, a resident of Georgia, claims that she suffered irreversible hearing loss and tinnitus after receiving Tepezza infusions between May and October 2021 for thyroid eye disease. The lawsuit accuses Horizon Therapeutics of failing to adequately warn patients and healthcare providers about the potential risks associated with Tepezza, despite numerous reports and studies indicating its link to hearing impairment. "Defendant knew or should have known that Tepezza causes permanent hearing loss," states the complaint, highlighting that warnings were only added to the drug's label in July 2023—two years after Poole's treatment.
The complaint details Horizon's alleged negligence in testing and marketing Tepezza. It argues that Horizon delayed necessary post-marketing studies and failed to update safety information even as adverse event reports accumulated. The lawsuit references internal concerns raised by former Horizon employees about the drug's safety profile, including Dr. Wenzhong “Jerry” Liu, who was allegedly terminated after advocating for transparency regarding the risk of hearing impairment linked to Tepezza.
Poole seeks compensatory damages for her injuries, statutory damages for Horizon's alleged violations of consumer protection laws, punitive damages for what she describes as fraudulent conduct by the company, as well as attorneys' fees and litigation costs. The case underscores ongoing scrutiny over pharmaceutical companies' responsibilities in disclosing potential side effects of their products.
Representing Janet H. Poole are attorneys from an undisclosed law firm; meanwhile, Judge Thomas Durkin presides over the case with Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman assisting. The case is identified under Case No: 1:25-cv-03501.