Company Claims They Didn’t Poison Chuck Norris’ Wife

The medical device company Chuck Norris and his wife Gena sued in November says it is not to blame for allegedly poisoning her.

Norris and his wife filed a $10 million lawsuit against McKesson Corporation, claiming that Gena suffered pain, lethargy and burning sensations after her doctors used gadolinium. The couple claim Gena developed Gadolinium Deposition Disease and has been hospitalized several times since the MRI.

On Dec. 28, McKesson Corporation filed a motion to get the lawsuit tossed, reports The Blast. The company denied the allegations, adding that Gena received plenty of warnings from her doctors and medical providers before the procedure.

The company adds that distributors of pharmaceutical products do not have a legal duty to warn patients, and its business practices follow all FDA regulations. They suggest that if Gena did have a reaction to the gadolinium, it was because of a pre-existing condition they had no role in.

Gadolinium is a chemical used in contrast agents to improve the clarity of MRI scans. According to The Washington Post, research has shown that there is some risk that comes with gadolinium-based contrast agents.

In 2015, the FDA issued an alert while it investigated the risks, but the agency said it found no evidence of harmful side-effects. The FDA held an advisory meeting in September 2017, and approved changes to the drug labels to note that there is a risk of retention in the brain.

In November, the Norrises’ attorney, Todd Walburg, said Gena was tested for rheumatoid arthritis, which wasn’t a problem. However, they argued that after several MRI scans, she became ill and has suffered cognitive defects. She has also had difficulty breathing and suffered kidney damage, according to the lawsuit.

“We are pursuing this litigation to shine a light on a problem that has not been addressed by the pharmaceutical companies that make MRI contrast agents. And we are trying to give a voice to the thousands of other victims who have been ignored,” Gena said in a statement in November.