Wyeth Penalized $134.5 Million
In Hormone-Replacement Verdict
A jury in Reno, Nev., decided Wyeth should pay $134.5 million to three women who claimed their breast cancer was caused by company-made drugs used in their hormone-replacement therapy.
Jurors awarded the compensatory damages to plaintiffs Arlene Rowatt, Jeraldine Scofield and Pamela Forrester. A hearing on punitive damages is scheduled for Friday morning.
The Washoe County District Court suit is one of 5,300 hormone-replacement cases filed against Wyeth on behalf of 7,900 plaintiffs, according to the pharmaceutical maker. It is the seventh to reach a verdict since trials began last year. Three of the other six trials resulted in verdicts in favor of Wyeth; one of the plaintiffs' verdicts was overturned and judgment entered in favor of Wyeth; and the plaintiffs' verdicts in the remaining two trials were thrown out and new trials ordered.
Three other cases have been dismissed by courts on summary judgment and a dozen other trial-set cases have been voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiffs before trial.
The cases allege injury as a result of the plaintiffs' use of one or more of the Wyeth's hormone or estrogen therapy products, including Prempro and Premarin, used to treat menopausal symptoms.
A Wyeth spokesman declined to comment on the Reno verdict. Lawyers for the Madison, N.J., drug maker have argued that the company clearly warned users that there was a slightly increased risk of breast cancer from taking Prempro, which was first marketed in 1995. In a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said it hasn't established any litigation reserve fund for its hormone-therapy litigation.
Prempro lawsuits claim that Wyeth did not do adequate safety testing, and promoted
the drug without knowing if it was safe. Wyeth is also accused of withholding
information about dangerous side effects from the public, placing the users
of Prempro at deadly risk.
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