Vermont Receives $2 Million in Pfizer Settlement

VERMONT — The Barre Montpelier Times Argus carries this story regarding the multistate settlement with Pfizer: Vermont gets $2 million in lawsuit.

According to the report...

"According to the state's complaint, Pfizer's painkiller Bextra had FDA approval for use in treating arthritis and menstrual pain, but Pfizer marketed it for use treating acute pain, pain associated with surgery and for reducing use of narcotic painkillers. The state referred to these as "off-label" uses.

The FDA pulled Bextra from the market in 2005 due to concerns it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Published reports from the last week show Pfizer also paying $745 million to settle personal injury claims and $89 million for consumer fraud class-action lawsuits, all dealing with Bextra or Celebrex."

Pfizer did not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement. For more information, click on this link: Vermont's share of Pfizer Settlement.

Plaintiff's Lawyers Fight Product Liability Lawsuit Restrictions

From the Wall Street Journal, more on the Supreme Court case, Wyeth v. Levine (see previous post), which is to be heard Nov. 3, which will impact lawsuits involving defective and hazardous products. The case centers around:

"Diana Levine, a professional guitarist who lost an arm to gangrene after a receiving a shot to treat a migraine headache in 2000.

Ms. Levine won $6.8 million in her lawsuit against Wyeth, which makes the antinausea drug, phenergan, that was given to her. A Vermont jury and that state's Supreme Court found that Wyeth hadn't sufficiently warned the public and doctors about the drug's dangers if improperly injected.

Wyeth has argued that the company is protected because the Food and Drug Administration had approved its label. The government is supporting Wyeth's position, on behalf of the FDA."

See the full article here: Plaintiffs' Lawyers Fight Restrictions On Product-Liability Suits