More women are filing lawsuits against the huge pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, due to side effects from Lipitor. There are more than 1,000 cases, representing more than 4,000 women, filed against Pfizer. The women allege that Pfizer did not give the public proper warning regarding side effects of Lipitor.
Lipitor, Pfizer’s best selling drug, became available in 1996. Sales of Lipitor are close to 130 billion dollars globally. Approximately 29 million people are prescribed Lipitor in the U.S.
American women filed lawsuits in federal court against Pfizer within the last five months. The women claim that Lipitor caused them to develop Type 2 diabetes and Pfizer failed to warn them. After the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided a warning in 2012 linking statins, including Lipitor, to incidents of “a small increased risk of raised blood sugar levels and the development of Type 2 diabetes” and reports of memory loss, lawsuits significantly increased.
Statins help lower cholesterol levels, but like many drugs, can cause dangerous side effects, such as liver damage, neurological side effects, muscle problems, increased blood sugars or Type 2 diabetes.
The first tort case is scheduled to begin in July 2015. All diabetes lawsuits in the U.S. will be consolidated and tried in a federal courtroom before U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel in Charleston, South Carolina.
Both parties will attempt to prove whether the benefits outweigh the risks. Is there a larger risk in women getting diabetes from taking Lipitor or are the benefits of improving heart problems greater?
Pfizer claims Lipitor did not cause the women’s diabetes, but that their lifestyles, like obesity or high blood pressure, made them more susceptible to diabetes. On the other hand, the women in the tort lawsuit claim Pfizer failed to give enough warning of the increased side effect of diabetes, which led to them developing the disease, reducing their quality of life.
Pfizer may consider settling out of court to avoid the potential of damaging their reputation through publicity. The FDA may also need to re-evaluate Lipitor and it’s side effects.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes or other adverse side effects as a result of taking Lipitor, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. For more information, contact one of our Gacovino Lake attorneys at 1-800-246-HURT (4878).
