Having a colonoscopy can be unpleasant, but it may also be dangerous. Before such a procedure, doctors often ask patients to take oral sodium phosphate (OSP) to clean out the bowels. However, OSP (which is available over the counter) can be very dangerous.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), OSP has been linked to acute phosphate nephropathy (also known as nephrocalcinosis), a serious condition affecting the kidneys. In patients suffering from acute phosphate nephropathy, calcium‑phosphate crystals are deposited in the renal tubes. The effect of this condition can be very serious: Patients may need dialysis, they may need a kidney transplant, or they may die from renal failure.

The problem often is not promptly diagnosed, because the symptoms of acute phosphate nephropathy can vary widely from victim to victim and include such common symptoms as nausea, headaches, drowsiness, pain, bleeding, dehydration, swelling (especially of the feet), and a general lethargy. Although acute phosphate nephropathy does seem to be more common in those over the age of 55 or in those already taking a medication that affects the kidneys, it can strike anyone.

The FDA has recently mandated that OSPs contain a so‑called “boxed warning,” which is a very serious step. If you or a loved one has used an OSP and suffered a kidney injury, contact us. We may be able to help you receive compensation for your injuries.

In a potentially helpful development, the federal government has passed new rules that limit the payments Medicare will make to a hospital to pay bills incurred in treating preventable infections and medical errors the hospital should have avoided. These same regulations also specify that neither may the hospital bill the patient for this care.

Proponents of these regulations claim that making the hospitals pay for their own mistakes will give them a financial incentive to take steps to prevent infections and errors that can be avoided. However, some ask whether Medicare will be able to adequately monitor these rules, while others ask whether these rules might endanger patients because hospitals are unwilling to provide high-quality care if they know they will not be paid.