Wyeth wrestles with Prempro suits

Two women in Nevada claimed that Prempro and Premarin led to them developing breast cancer, and rather than go to trial, Wyeth paid the women an undisclosed settlement amount.  The women asserted that Wyeth did not adequately warn them about their increased risk of developing breast cancer because of taking the menopause medications. 

According to Wyeth, the company has more than 5,000 lawsuits regarding the menopause meds facing it, but plaintiff attorneys say the real number is likely double that.  It has lost four out of seven cases so far. Prizer will also continue to hit the courts over its drug, Provera. So far, it's zero for two.  

On July 11, New Jersey Judge Jamie Happas dismissed two lawsuits aimed at Wyeth and Pfizer's Pharmacia & Upjohn unit, saying the plaintiffs did not provide sufficient proof that the companies failed to warn them adequately.

The drugs are still on the market, despite the fact that women taking these medicines have almost a 25 percent increased risk of breast cancer, according to a 2002 study. Over 6 million women have taken the drugs, which have brought Wyeth in excess of $2 billion dollars in sales.

- see the LA Times story
[1]- read more [2] at MarketWatch 

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Court dismisses lawsuit on Wyeth's Prempro [4]
Jury fines Wyeth $134.5M in hormone suit [5]
Wyeth asks judge to cut $134M award [6]