Thousands of individuals are expected to file Avandia lawsuits in response to GlaxoSmithKline’s negligence in marketing this drug. This drug was discovered to cause severe liver damage when used by pregnant women, and has also been linked to breast cancer and heart disease. GlaxoSmith-Kline is facing the prospect of paying millions to its shareholders in settlements for the potential victims of Avandia.
GlaxoSmith-Kline’s main problem in selling Avandia to pregnant women was that they knew it could cause serious problems for the developing fetus. However, GlaxoSmith-Kline continued to promote this drug by continuing to include it in its products. There have been many lawsuits in the past regarding Avandia, including one in which more than 1,200 plaintiffs sued GlaxoSmith-Kline. This lawsuit brought by Avandia’s victims is similar to that of those filed against Merck & Co. and Novartis AG. Merck and Novartis are the two pharmaceutical giants, which produce Avandia.
Merck’s case involves claims that their product, called Merck & Co.’s Pregabalin, caused birth defects and death of a newborn boy named Patrick. Patrick died in a hospital from a condition that resulted from Pregabalin. The case brought against Merck resulted in Merck agreeing to pay more than $1 billion to settle the lawsuit. The settlement agreement was reached after Merck agreed to pay more than one hundred million dollars to the plaintiffs and more than one hundred million to their children and estates. In addition, Merck is facing an additional two hundred million dollars in future settlements stemming from claims by another plaintiff.
GlaxoSmith-Kline’s case involves claims that their drug, called Avandia, caused birth defects and the death of a newborn boy named Patrick. Patrick died in a hospital from a condition that resulted from Avandia. A judge ordered GlaxoSmith-Kline to pay Patrick’s mother, Annabelle Wilson, almost four hundred thousand dollars for her medical expenses. She is also expected to receive about one and a half million in additional damages due to the devastating effects of Avandia on her unborn child.
Merck has settled more than two dozen lawsuits brought against them in connection with Avandia. Most of the Avandia cases settled by Merck involve claims relating to Pregabalin. and are similar to the ones filed against Merck.
Merck’s lawsuit is not as severe as those filed against GlaxoSmith-Kline, but it can still be extremely costly for the drugmaker. If the plaintiffs win their cases, the amount of money they are likely to receive may run into the millions. If the cases are unsuccessful, GlaxoSmith-Kline will likely have to pay millions in damages to resolve the case.
GlaxoSmith-Kline is also facing a class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. by thousands of women and their babies who have developed serious liver problems after using the drug. These women have been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver or other serious illnesses that they believe were caused by Pregabalin.
The lawsuit filed against Merck against GlaxoSmith-Kline centers around the claim that the drug should have been labeled as a “black-listed” drug, as it had been previously known as “Liver-Protecting Agent.” The FDA failed to take action, however, until Merck began marketing their product. Merck was then forced to stop advertising their product, and the FDA issued a recall. The FDA said it was unaware of the drug’s black listing status when it approved its approval.
Merck is currently fighting a class action lawsuit filed by nine women and their children, who claim the drug was the cause of their premature births and other health problems. Another plaintiff is suing Merck regarding the drug’s use in breast feeding, claiming it caused their children to develop a serious form of allergies. The suits against Merck all hinge on whether GlaxoSmith-Kline was aware of the potential side effects of the drug before marketing the product.
Merck has faced at least eight Avandia lawsuits since 1998. Most of these have been settled and some have been resolved in favor of the company. There have been no major findings in any of the Avandia lawsuits involving GlaxoSmith-Kline.
In addition to these major lawsuits, there are hundreds of others filed against Merck and GlaxoSmith-Kline regarding the treatment of a wide range of conditions, ranging from high cholesterol to Alzheimer’s disease and kidney disease. Many of these lawsuits have been dismissed by the courts. While Avandia and other similar drugs have certainly faced criticism in the past, GlaxoSmith-Kline’s products have been the subject of criticism in recent years because of the many reports of death and health problems connected to the drug.
