Pfizer settles suits over anti-smoking drug for $273 mln

[KulrMeStoopid]

3/5/2013

By Terry Baynes
(Reuters) - Pfizer Inc has agreed to settle the majority of lawsuits alleging its smoking cessation drug, Chantix, caused suicide and other injuries, the company said in its annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The United States' largest drugmaker has entered into agreements to settle around 80 percent of the more than 2,700 lawsuits over Chantix, costing the company around $273 million in 2012, according to the report filed on Feb. 28. Pfizer also said it has set aside $15 million to resolve all of the remaining claims in the United States.
Pfizer introduced Chantix in the United States in 2006, hoping it would become a multibillion-dollar product and revive flagging profits. But starting in 2008, consumers inundated the company with lawsuits claiming that Pfizer knew about psychological side effects related to the drug but failed to inform doctors and patients.




http://newsandinsight.thomsonreuters.com/Legal/News/2013/03_-_March/Pfizer_settles_suits_over_anti-smoking_drug_for_$273_mln/

 

[Doodlebug]

It's only by settling the claims that they can keep all the evidence secret. Disgusting!

 

[emba]

knowing a little about biochemistry i never even considered that stuff when i read about its mechanism of action and advised others to steer well clear of it. some ignored that advice and most of them regretted it with sleepless nights, crazy dreams and in one case some nasty stomach upset (and not one person i know of quit smoking with them) dont mess with your brain unless youre fully willing to accept any consequences that may come of it, especially if its something that has been around less than 20 or 30 years at least.

as trained as doctors are i wont take a damn thing without doing a good amount of research on it beforehand and that paid off as i was once going through a bit of a bad patch and was given a prescription from the doctor for venlafaxine (id gone in for chest pains and shaking hands) im awfully glad i did my reading that day instead of just popping the pills because the doc said so. sometimes nothing beats a bit of your own research as long as you know how to cut the wheat from the chaff if you will (nothing is a definitive answer, just a prompt for further research, never stop learning)