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Fen phen Class-Action

A Fen Phen class action lawsuit is a legal claim that is filed on behalf of a group of individuals who have suffered similar damages as a result of taking the defective drug known as Fen Phen. Fen Phen was introduced on the United States market in the 1970s and was widely prescribed as a miracle diet drug in hospitals and weight loss centers. It is estimated that between six and seven million Americans took this drug prior to its recall on September 15, 1997.

Fen Phen was pulled from the market after clinical studies found that use of this drug significantly increases a patient's risk of developing devastating cardiovascular complications. In a Mayo clinical study, doctors identified 24 cases of people who had developed PPH (Primary Pulmonary Hypertension) as a result of taking Fen Phen. Researchers estimated that thirty percent of all PPH patients studied had taken Fen Phen in the past.

After the Mayo study was published the FDA received 75 additional reports of people developing PPH as a result of taking Fen Phen. This prompted the FDA to order the recall of this defective drug. The FDA also found that American Home Products, the manufacturer of Fen Phen drugs, had miscoded PPH reports and failed to have official medical monitoring performed during the time this drug was available to consumers.

Fen Phen Class action lawsuits claim that AHP is liable for injuries caused by their defective products. Fen Phen class action lawyers argue that AHP acted negligently in marketing their popular Fen Phen diet drugs and that this negligence resulted in injury to the plaintiffs of the Fen Phen class action lawsuit. Through a Fen Phen class action lawsuit, AHP may be required to provide restitution to the plaintiffs to compensate them for their losses.

After the recall major Fen Phen class action litigation contributed to the development of a settlement fund established by American Home Products to provide restitution to eligible Fen Phen side effects victims. In 2003 the New York Times published a report which found that only one third of the 37,000 serious Fen Phen claims have been addressed by the settlement fund.

The deleterious consequences of Fen Phen use may not be apparent in patients for years, especially in cases where they do not present outward signs of their heath condition. The diagnosis of a Fen Phen injury is not simple and requires echocardiogram testing and a meticulous review of a patient's medical background. Some people who took Fen Phen years ago are just now being diagnosed with life threatening cardiovascular problems.

For those who have taken or suffered from Fen Phen, a Fen Phen class action lawsuit may be a beneficial option to consider. A Fen Phen class action lawsuit has many advantages to a plaintiff who has been injured through the use of Fen Phen. Please contact us to learn more about you legal rights and options in a Fen Phen class action lawsuit.

More Fenphen® Resources

Pulmonary Hypertension Resource - News, Information and Resources regarding Primary Pulmonary Hypertension and other forms of Severe Pulmonary Hypertension.

Pulmonary Hypertension Association - Features association background, disease and treatment information, news, research, and message boards.