Suit Filed against Eli Lilly on Behalf of Deceased Texas Woman

By Keely Hyslop

Published on January 22, 2007

The woman, who suffered from bipolar disorder, was prescribed Zyprexa in 1996 to treat her condition. In November 1999, she suffered her first pancreatic attack. During the attack, she was admitted to the emergency room of a hospital and remained at the facility for 10 days. She suffered a second attack in January 2005 and was again admitted to the hospital. She died four days later.

Zyprexa is Elli Lilly’s top-selling antipsychotic drug. It was approved by the FDA for treatment of the mentally ill in 1996 and approved for the specific treatment of bipolar disorder in 2000. Since the FDA began reviewing studies suggesting a connection between Zyprexa and increased risk of hyperglycemia, aggravation of diabetes, and pancreatitis, Elli Lilly has settled or moved to settle roughly 26,000 lawsuits. In December, The New York Times printed an article citing evidence that Elli Lilly attempted to downplay the side effects of Zyprexa through marketing efforts.

Hissey Kientz LLP said that in addition to the Austin woman’s lawsuit, the firm earlier this month filed a class-action suit against Elli Lilly on behalf of 12 people who suffered side effects from Zyprexa.

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