AstraZeneca, the manufacturer of antipsychotic drug, Seroquel, now faces approximately 26,000 product liability lawsuits alleging that the drug may cause diabetes and that the drug maker illegally promoted Seroquel for off-label uses. The first of those lawsuits goes to trial in February of 2010 and may pave the way for the thousands of others pending in both state and federal courts.
Reported Seroquel injuries increasing
According to plaintiffs' lawyers, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca now faces approximately 26,000 personal injury and product liability lawsuits alleging that Seroquel, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for schizophrenic and bipolar disorders, caused users to contract diabetes. The number of Seroquel injuries reported by AstraZeneca is up an astounding 65 percent from what the company reported to the SEC (Securities & Exchange Commission) in January of 2009 – only one year ago.
In addition to consumer reports of an increased risk of diabetes, many lawsuits also allege that AstraZeneca promoted Seroquel for uses that were not approved by the FDA. Like many other defective drug lawsuits, plaintiffs allege that the company knew, or should have known, about Seroquel's side effects and that it failed to warn consumers. They also allege that the company illegally promoted off-label uses of Seroquel merely to increase their profits – which seems to have worked. Seroquel is AstraZeneca's second highest selling drug, after the ulcer treatment drug, Nexium. It generated nearly $5 billion in sales for the company in 2009.
First Seroquel lawsuit goes to trial – now
The first of thousands of Seroquel injury lawsuits will go to trial in February 2010 if a settlement is not reached soon. The case will be tried in New Jersey and may pave the way for others filed in that state and elsewhere. Although AstraZeneca denies that Seroquel causes diabetes and maintains that the drug was not promoted for off-label uses, Seroquel attorneys say that the sheer number of lawsuits filed against the company, as well as the overwhelming amount of medical evidence against it, suggest otherwise.
If you've been injured due to AstraZeneca's Seroquel, contact an experienced product liability lawyer in your state to discuss your situation as you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries such as lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering and more. However, it's important to take action now as every state has a statute of limitations, or time limit, in which you must file a lawsuit or be barred from doing so. Don't lose your right to compensation!