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Subscribe To Our Syndicated NewsFen-Phen Lawsuit Filed By Lung Disease Victims
December 6, 2006
Five women diagnosed with a potentially fatal lung condition known as primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) have filed complaints against Wyeth, claiming that the company's once popular diet drug fen-phen caused them to develop the disease.
Renee Tedesco, 53, took fen-phen 10 years ago before the dangerous drug cocktail was pulled from the market over concerns that it caused heart problems. In April, she was diagnosed with PPH and has since undergone a dual-lung transplant to address the disease.
Wyeth Misled Consumers
According to her complaint, Wyeth intentionally misled consumers with a false campaign of misinformation and disinformation as to the increased risk of PPH associated with fen-phen.
More than 6 million prescriptions were written for the drug cocktail before it was linked to an increased risk of heart damage and PPH. Former fen-phen users argue that Wyeth hid these risks in order to protect profits.
Fen-phen Lawsuits
Fen-phen a combination of the generic drug phentermine and either Redux or Pondimin has been the target of about 175,000 legal claims, most of which were filed by former fen-phen users who developed heart problems. According to Wyeth, almost all of those claims have been resolved.
Wyeth has put aside more than $21 billion to settle fen-phen-related legal claims. However, an original settlement program for $3.75 billion did not cover claims stemming from users who developed PPH.
Previous PPH claims against the pharmaceutical giant have resulted in favorable jury verdicts. In 2004, the family of a woman who took fen-phen for two years and subsequently died of PPH was awarded more than $1 billion by a Texas jury.
Earlier this year, a Philadelphia jury awarded a woman with PPH caused by fen-phen $300,000 in damages. In both cases, Wyeth later settled for undisclosed sums.
The company currently faces at least 95 PPH-related fen-phen lawsuits.
Injured by fen-phen? Please contact us today to learn more about recovering compensation for your losses and suffering through a fen-phen lawsuit.More Fen Phen 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.
