Documents have been released showing that AstraZeneca, the maker of the antipsychotic drug, Seroquel, warned Japanese doctors and patients about the dangers of the drug, but failed to do the same with its U.S. customers – a move that will likely hurt the company as it defends over 10,000 lawsuits already filed against it over the drug.
Japanese product liability warning
According to a Bloomberg News report, www.bloomberg.com, AstraZeneca warned Japanese doctors and patients in 2002 that Seroquel had been linked to 12 separate instances of high blood sugar levels. However, the company did not extend the same warning to U.S. customers who make up a far greater percentage of users. The report says that AstraZeneca did not feel that it was necessary, or required, to provide the same warning to U.S. customers – a move that has been criticized by consumer groups and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). It will likely hurt the company as it defends over 10,000 lawsuits filed against it. Many of those lawsuits allege that the company specifically told sales representatives to play down the connection between Seroquel and diabetes. Even worse, the company has been accused of burying unfavorable clinical trials to keep sales of the drug high.
Seroquel sales reached $4.5 billion in 2008
Seroquel sales reached nearly $4.5 billion in 2008, surpassing its rival drug, Eli Lilly’s Zyprexa. Zyprexa is a similar drug that has been associated with diabetes, hyperglycemia and other serious conditions. In 2006, the FDA accused Lilly of downplaying the serious health risks of Zyprexa. The company eventually settled nearly 30,000 lawsuits against it for $500,000 million and pled guilty to misdemeanor charges of illegally marketing Zyprexa for off-label uses – which cost them another $1.4 billion earlier this year. However, consumer advocate groups such as Public Citizen are saying that AstraZeneca may not have learned from Eli Lilly’s mistakes.
Seroquel litigation ongoing
AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical giant in its own right, now finds itself defending thousands of lawsuits, some of which have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation (MDL) in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and others have been filed in Delaware, Missouri, New Jersey and New York state courts. Much of the damaging information now coming out about Seroquel and its manufacturer’s actions recently came to light in the discovery process of the ongoing litigation. While the company did not want the information released, much of it now has been due to the pressure of plaintiffs’ attorneys. It is expected that many additional lawsuits will be filed against the company in the coming year.
If you’ve been injured due to Seroquel, contact an experienced product liability attorney to discuss your situation and evaluate your options. Consultations are free, without obligation and are strictly confidential.