Pfizer to pay $8.8m to patient
Nov 21, 2009
LOS ANGELES - A PHILADELPHIA jury on Friday ordered pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to pay US$6.3 million (S$8.8 million) in compensatory damages to an Illinois breast cancer survivor after finding menopause drugs Premarin, Provera and Prempro caused the disease.
The panel also found that punitive damages are warranted because of willful and wanton conduct by Pfizer units Wyeth and Pharmacia & Upjohn in failing to warn Donna Kendall about risks associated with the drugs, said her attorney Tobias Millrood.
The jury meets on Monday to decide on additional damages.
The award is the largest so far of about three dozen Prempro cases tried in Philadelphia, out of about 1,500 pending lawsuits, Mr Millrood said.
Pfizer said it was 'disappointed' by the verdict and would evaluate its legal options as soon as the case concludes.
The drug companies have prevailed in most hormone therapy cases spurred by the 2002 Women's Health Initiative finding that long-term use of the menopause drugs increases women's breast cancer and cardiovascular disease risks. -- REUTERS
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