New Lipitor Suits Dog Pfizer

By William Murphy

Published on July 20, 2006

The suits, filed on behalf of plaintiffs from New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Michigan, and California, come on the heels of two similar suits filed in June.

The lawsuits accuse Pfizer of deceptive marketing, saying the company promoted Lipitor as safe while it concealed information that the drug could cause serious and permanent health problems. The suits also allege that Pfizer continued to market Lipitor as safe despite receiving two letters from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 2001 warning the company that its marketing materials did not provide sufficient information about Lipitor's risks.

Among the plaintiffs' allegations are that Lipitor caused neurological damage, memory loss, and Alzheimer's-like symptoms. Plaintiff Lydia Fish, widow of former U.S. Congressman Hamilton Fish of New York, says that since she started taking Lipitor in 1999, she has suffered severe neurological problems and memory loss. Another plaintiff, former pro soccer player Dennis Hickie of New York, claims that Lipitor has damaged his arms and legs to the extent he is no longer able to exercise or carry out normal tasks.

Pfizer maintains that extensive research has proven Lipitor safe and free of any causal link to neurological or cognitive impairment. The company vowed to fight the claims, calling them "baseless."

Comment on this article →