Lipitor

The Yost Legal Group is not taking any new Lipitor cases.

The Yost Legal Group defective drug lawyers are investigating Lipitor lawsuits for users of cholesterol drug Atorvastatin, known as Lipitor.  Lipitor was first approved by the FDA in 1996 to lower cholesterol.  Pfizer promoted Lipitor for use by women.  But Pfizer never performed studies that show that Lipitor prevented future cardiovascular disease in the arteries of healthy women. Pfizer simply over-promoted Lipitor use. Lipitor’s lifetime sales total over $130 billion dollars.

LIPITOR SIDE EFFECTS AND ADVERSE DRUG EVENTS

Reliable scientific studies show that postmenopausal women who took Lipitor are 50% more likely to be later diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than women who did not take Lipitor. The studies specifically show that women are more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes compared with men who took Lipitor.  Additional studies show that the risk is even higher for women taking higher doses of Lipitor.

Some of the symptoms associated with the onset of diabetes are cataracts, blindness, neuropathy, and kidney problems.  Lipitor side effects can cause permanent disability.  Many users of Lipitor are subsequently prescribed a lifetime of diabetes medicine to attempt to control their diabetes.

WHAT PFIZER KNEW

In 1995 articles published in the Journal of American Medical Association confirmed that there was no evidence that Lipitor was effective in preventing cardiac disease in healthy women.  Pfizer never conducted a study that showed Lipitor did prevent cardiac disease to the arteries of women who did not already have coronary disease. Most of the women who took Lipitor did not have a cardiac condition and therefore could not have benefitted from the use of Lipitor.  The risks of Lipitor outweighed the benefit for most of the female users.

In 2012 Pfizer finally agreed with the FDA to add a warning about Lipitor’s increased risk of elevating blood glucose levels, the beginning of diabetes.   Lipitor is still on the market today but with this new warning.  Women taking Lipitor are still at risk for type 2 diabetes and the complications of diabetes.

LIPITOR DEFECTIVE DRUG CASES IN THE COURTS

Lipitor is being handled in a Multi-District Litigation.  All cases filed against the manufacturer of Lipitor are being sent to the Federal Court in South Carolina for preliminary rulings.  There may be a class action settlement.  Cases may be sent back to the local Federal Courts for trial.  The defective drug lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are experienced in handling class action lawsuits involving defective drugs.  If you have  told that you have diabetes after taking Lipitor you may be entitled to a settlement.

PRODUCT LIABILITY – FAILURE TO WARN

The laws protect innocent consumers such as users of Lipitor cholesterol lowering drug from defective drugs.  One way a product can be defective is if the manufacturer fails to adequately warn about the risks of harm associated with the product.  If the manufacturer does not warn about a known serious side effect, and the product user is harmed by that risk, they may be entitled to compensation.  This is so because the Lipitor user, and her doctor, did not have an opportunity to balance the risks and benefits of taking Lipitor.  Since Lipitor did not prevent cardiac disease in otherwise healthy women who had high cholesterol, there were no benefits to be weighed against the very real risk of the onset of type 2 diabetes.