Pharmaceutical Giant to Pay $90 Million in Avandia Settlement
GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to pay 38 states $90 million in fines for downplaying the risks of stroke and heart attacks associated with its diabetes drug, Avandia.
The drug manufacturer was accused of suppressing data that the type 2 diabetes drug could elevate the risk of heart attack by 43 percent and could double the risk of heart failure after a year of use. In 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required that Avandia carry a black-box warning, and in 2010 the agency pulled the drug from the market, making it available only through a government program.
Although the settlement did not require GlaxoSmithKline to admit guilt, the company did agree to post summaries of all studies it sponsors on diabetes products for the next eight years. The drug giant also agreed that it would not misuse clinical data to misrepresent or overstate the benefits of its diabetes drugs.
The attorney general for Wisconsin, commenting on the settlement, stated in a press release, “When aggressive pharmaceutical marketing misrepresents known risks of a drug or deceptively markets positive attributes in a drug that are not supported by the scientific data, consumers and doctors alike are unable to make informed choices about the risks of taking the medication.”
This settlement is separate from a record-setting $3 billion settlement GlaxoSmithKline reached with the U.S Department of Justice in July of this year. In that settlement, the manufacturer pleaded guilty to illegal marketing of its antidepressants Wellbutrin and Paxil, as well as for suppressing critical data about Avandia.
According to Drugwatch.com, some 50,000 Avandia-related lawsuits have been filed in the United States.
The Jacksonville Avandia illness lawyers at Farah & Farah have a proven track record of helping clients who have been injured due to the negligence of large pharmaceutical companies. Our firm will defend your rights and we will seek the compensation you deserve. If you’ve suffered from the side effects of Avandia, or any other drug, call us at (800) 533-3555. We’re here to help.
