Latest Trial Against Wyeth Hormone Drug Starts In Philadelphia

Main Category: Menopause
Also Included In: Litigation / Medical Malpractice;  Breast Cancer;  Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Article Date: 30 Jul 2010 - 2:00 PDT

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The latest court case exploring the link between Wyeth Pharmaceuticals' hormonal replacement drug Prempro and breast cancer started Tuesday in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

During his opening statement, attorney Rainey Booth said Prempro "promoted" breast cancer in the two women who are suing Wyeth by boosting rapid growth of healthy and abnormal cells, which was the root cause of their cancers.

However, Beth Wilkinson -- the attorney representing Wyeth -- said that there is not a simple explanation for the women's cancer and that there is no evidence that the cancers are linked to Prempro. The drug is still on the market and continues to be prescribed by doctors, she added.

The lawsuit is one of thousands that have been filed against Wyeth and Pfizer since a 2002 federal study linked Prempro to higher rates of breast cancer, heart attack and other health issues. The drug combines the hormones estrogen and progestin and is used to treat menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings.

According to a 2009 regulatory filing by Wyeth, the company has faced 8,000 Prempro lawsuits. Wyeth spokesperson Joshua Wenderoff said that the company has been successful in 26 of 31 cases that have gone to trial. However, the unsuccessful cases "have proved hugely expensive," the Inquirer reports. A Philadelphia jury in February awarded $9.45 million to an Alabama woman who claimed Prempro caused her breast cancer, and Philadelphia juries in 2009 awarded $100 million to women in two separate cases involving the drug. The case that started Tuesday is expected to last four to eight weeks, the Inquirer reports (Hepp, Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/28).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families.

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