Pfizer tries to delay first Chantix product liability trial next week, faces more than 2,600 lawsuits

[Bill Godshall]

Pfizer tries to delay first product liability trial for Chantix scheduled next week, faces more than 2,600 lawsuits
http://www.nasdaq.com/article/pfizer-seeks-delay-of-chantix-case-and-cites-new-safety-data-20121016-01043#.UH29wI7aFWQ

If plaintiffs win any of these lawsuits, Pfizer and the FDA (and other harm reduction opponents) will be discredited, while e-cigarettes and other smokefree tobacco alternatives will benefit.

 

[VapApe]

Any bets they will end up settling out of court and claim no wrong doing.

 

[TennDave]

Yes, they have millions if not billions set aside for settling- remember the last huge settlement that was several billion and the attitude of the company (forgot which Pharma it was- maybe Pfizer) but it was "oh well...."

 

[reddragon1]

That's what I started with to quit and ended up heaving my guts out. Thank goodness I found e-cigs.

 

[Petrodus]

Any bets they will end up settling out of court and claim no wrong doing.

Ye OLE "Truth Sayer"

 

[Lbox88]

I hope they get nailed. My wife is a social worker and has seen the worse ends of that drug's side effects in a mental institution around here. It isn't pretty.

 

[Bill Godshall]

VapApe inquired:

Any bets they will end up settling out of court and claim no wrong doing.

Nobody should be surprised if Pfizer settles some, many or most of these lawsuits, as that way the injured victims get finanical redress for their suffering.

In most (and perhaps all) states, those decisions (to settle or to gamble with a jury verdict) are considered legal rights of both plaintiff and defendant.

But most (and perhaps all) state constitutions grant plaintiffs the right to reject any settlement offer, and to demand a jury verdict (win, lose or draw).

I suspect that some plaintiffs will demand a jury verdict, and I also suspect that some plaintiffs may be granted a huge verdict by the jury.

If just one or two juries give plaintiffs huge awards, the costs for Pfizer to settle other cases will increase accordingly. And if a half dozen juries give plaintiffs huge awards, Pfizer could be in big financial trouble.

 

[Petrodus]

If just one or two juries give plaintiffs huge awards, the costs for Pfizer to settle other cases will increase accordingly. And if a half dozen juries give plaintiffs huge awards, Pfizer could be in big financial trouble.

Wouldn't that be a hoot !!

 

[Bill Godshall]

What I find truly amazing is that the FDA continues to defend and promote Chantix as a safe smoking cessation product, as do CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA, AMA, AAP, AMA, Legacy and other recipients of Pfizer funding.

None of those groups that have received Pfizer funding have warned smokers about any risks of Chantix.

I suspect those groups will continue promoting Chantix as a "safe and effective" drug until the first Chantix jury awards an injured plaintiff a huge award against Pfizer.

 

[VaprMade]

I like Bill's point on why the FDA and other health groups continue to support Chantix. If I may I'll take it a step further. Why do we have an FDA? This is a serious question. Everyday an approved drug, procedure, or device is being challenged by litigation claiming harm. Isn't the whole idea of the FDA to make sure americans get safe and proven medical treatments? Isn't so we can take a drug and not be afraid that it will do something unintended?

If we had no system in place and doctors said to a patient, we have this new drug that is successful at helping you quit smoking, although the side effects are unknown at this point in time. Less people would jump to try it, but those who did would at least know the drug could have consequences. In turn lawsuits would have less credibility, the money spent on getting a drug approved would be nil, and prescription prices would plummet.

I mean if the FDA can't do the job at hand, why should we as americans not be able to dictate what we can do with our bodies?

 

[WickedSick]

I really hope they get nailed, but my money ( and most probably theirs ) are on settling. The whole pharmacology industry is hiding in the shadows and lots of things that doesn't meet the eye are happening.

Even if you don't count the many side effects of drugs, the big sharks are actively preventing many drugs which are better from their products of going into mass production.

In many cases they perfer to use drugs which are simply stopping the advancment of a disease not curing it when a cure exist. There are really a lot of money at stake, and in some cases countries depend on these companies, but these are money measured in suffering and human lives.

 

[Petrodus]

ANOTHER dumb Rosa Chantix commercial ... just came on TV
Don't know about you'all, however, I'm getting a little tired
of hitting the mute button on my remote control.

Rosa's Chantix commercials ... are such a social embarrassment.
How can people listen to such crap with the endless disclaimers
including this poison can kill ya ... then run to the doctor begging for a script ...
is insane.
8-o

 

[JENerationX]

Well, with 2,600 lawsuits pending.... we can hope for a few jury awards out of that. I know that if I lost a family member to this, I'd go to verdict. No amount of money rights that kind of wrongful death. A verdict at least sends a message. I'm betting on a few people feeling the same way.

 

[Racehorse]

What I find truly amazing is that the FDA continues to defend and promote Chantix as a safe smoking cessation product, as do CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA, AMA, AAP, AMA, Legacy and other recipients of Pfizer funding.

They give them out like candy here.

I believe the SOS program supports it as well........

Crazy-making drug for sure.

Lemme see........that's the 5th pharmaceutical I've taken in my life that they've taken off the market. The FDA should be ashamed to cash their paychecks.

 

[Vocalek]

They give them out like candy here.

I believe the SOS program supports it as well........

Crazy-making drug for sure.

Lemme see........that's the 5th pharmaceutical I've taken in my life that they've taken off the market. The FDA should be ashamed to cash their paychecks.

And these same organizations have the nerve to call dissolvable orbs "tobacco candy".

 

[rothenbj]

If just one or two juries give plaintiffs huge awards, the costs for Pfizer to settle other cases will increase accordingly. And if a half dozen juries give plaintiffs huge awards, Pfizer could be in big financial trouble.

Am. Home Products/Wyeth, now Pfizer had somewhere around 12,000 cases (and counting) with massive out of court settlements and jury awards that have reached over $20b the last I saw for liability for Phen-fen (Redux). As far as I know Pfizer is still handling the left over liability from the mid 90's. I don't expect any awards here will reach anywhere near these numbers and Pfizer has deeper pockets than Wyeth ever had.

What I find truly amazing is that the FDA continues to defend and promote Chantix as a safe smoking cessation product, as do CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA, AMA, AAP, AMA, Legacy and other recipients of Pfizer funding.

Now if some astute lawyer would start naming these ?non-profit?"health" associations as co-defendents since the turn into paid marketing arms for the Pharma industry, perhaps they'd get back to their core values and stop being mouth pieces for the industry. I can remember when they were interested in "finding a cure" rather than finding a fatter wallet.

 

[JENerationX]

They settled this case.

Pfizer Settles First Chantix Suicide Case Set for Trial - Bloomberg

 

[Luestherin]

I used Chantix 4 times to stop smoking. Each time I failed my doctor would prescribe me another round and encourage me to keep trying. I did this for 2 years. I can't tell you the roller coaster of mental issues I went through. I almost lost my marriage over it. I was incredibly aggressive, severely depressed and everything in between.

It is a very toxic and dangerous drug. I would advise anyone who is thinking of quitting smoking to seek other options. I do believe taking it for as long as I did and as much as I did has had a permanent effect on my mental health.

 

[Petrodus]

They settled this case.
Pfizer Settles First Chantix Suicide Case Set for Trial - Bloomberg

One of the comments ...
"it's over, Ian. Now, MAN-UP and YANK this drug!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

[NorthOfAtlanta]

To Pfizer and their ilk it is just an entry on the cost of doing business line, right along with trying to kill e-cigs and campaign donations. Then we could talk about their foundations, but that is a whole 'nother can of worms.