Avandia Settlements Reached in Additional Lawsuits: Report
By: Staff Writers | Published: February 2nd, 2012
GlaxoSmithKline has reportedly reached agreements to settle Avantida lawsuits brought by about 20,000 people who allege that they suffered heart attacks and other injuries caused by side effects of their controversial diabetes drug.
According to a report by Bloomberg News, the drug maker agreed to the Avandia settlements last month as part of court-ordered mediation.
Glaxo has previously agreed to settle more than 15,000 Avandia lawsuits filed in state and federal courts throughout the United States for an estimated $700 million. The amount of the additional Avandia payments that will resolve these most recent cases has not disclosed.
All of the lawsuits include claims that Glaxo failed to adequately warn consumers and doctors that Avandia side effects included an increased risk of heart attacks and other heart problems.
Avandia (rosiglitazone) was a popular type 2 diabetes drug that was used by millions of people before it was linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and heart problems. Some estimates suggest that more than 100,000 heart attacks may have been caused by Avandia since it was introduced.
After concerns about the Avandia heart risks first surfaced in May 2007, the FDA required a “black box” warning, which is the strongest warning that can be placed on a medication label. However, many critics continued to argue that the warning was not strong enough and called for federal regulators to issue an Avandia recall because the risks greatly outweigh any benefit provided by the medication.
In July 2010, an FDA advisory panel was convened to review the risks associated with Avandia. Although the panel indicated that Avandia increases the risk of heart attacks when compared to older drugs, a majority of the committee voted to recommend that the FDA allow GlaxoSmithKline’s diabetes drug to remain on the market.
Avandia was banned from the European Union, but was allowed to remain on the market in the U.S. under severe restrictions. GlaxoSmithKline has since ceased marketing of the drug, but continues to face consumer lawsuits over injuries allegedly caused by the drug.
The federal judge presiding over the Avandia litigation previously indicated that cases will be scheduled for trial if 85% of the remaining lawsuits are not settled. Based on the available information, it is unclear whether these most recent settlements meet that figure.
Comment by ROBERT on 4 July 2012:
I took this medical for approimately 7 or 8 years when , the avandia heart risk surfaced in 2007.
Comment by Marie on 20 July 2012:
FYI to everyone:The federal judge presiding over the Avandia litigation previously indicated that cases will be scheduled for trial if 85% of the remaining lawsuits are not settled. Based on the available information, it is unclear whether these most recent settlements meet that figure.
It’s important to read and stay informed.
Comment by kathryn on 8 August 2012:
Marie, thank you for the update. My mother’s claim is within this suit and the lawyer has been very informative. He spoke with me just last week and I am pleased with the process so far. Lost my mom in 2007.
Comment by kathryn on 28 August 2012:
I have heard from the lawyers and I will be receiving a first of two, questionaires as part of this current litigation settlement.
Comment by Richard on 1 September 2012:
Why is it taking so long to hear on a settlement?
Comment by Jeanette on 12 September 2012:
Payment have been sent, don’t know what the hold up where’s the money
Comment by Ramon on 15 September 2012:
My wife was one of the earlies victim of avandia pills she die in 2001 februaryshe was hospitalize 4 times whith herat atack in 7 weeks. for me it look that wasent a human bean who died. i dont hear from my lawyer .I dont have any award letter.i dont know if because im apanis they dont want to hear from me. THANKSfor invite me to send mycoment we hope they look at us as a human bean no the contrary.
Comment by melba on 28 September 2012:
we havent received award letter, or an amount and its been since 2002 since my mom died, how much longer does it take, lawyer doesnt say much, just wait n wait n wait, why is what i want to know
Comment by David on 5 October 2012:
I was prescribed Avandia Rosiglitizone in April 2006 , in sept 2006 I had a heart attack, I was kept on this drug with no idea of its potential threat . In sept 2007 I had a further heart attack and continued on this drug until Feburary 2008 , when my blood sugars went awry , I checked on line to see if my drug was a problem and was mortified what I found . I also found that the doctor was aware of the threat in may 2007 ??
Why is it that American citizens can get compensation yet sufferers in the uk can not . It is not fair
Comment by Richard on 8 October 2012:
I dont understand what keeps happening to my post. Ihad a heart attack in 2001 and had a stint put in my heart. Have been in this lawsuit for 3 years. I was only 42 at the time of the ordeal. I smoked and I know they well take off for that. Pluss I am over weight. Does anyone know what is taking so long to get an answer? Does anyone know and has anyone got a settlement?
Comment by JOYCE on 16 November 2012:
I STARTED MY CASE IN LATE 90′S MY CASE WAS APPROVER ALL WAS VALADITED! BUT STILL WAITING ,IN THE MEAN TIME HAD ANOTHER STROKE I NEED THE MONEY ,WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME FUN SPENDING IT SEEING AS THEY USE ME FOR A GEANIE PIG, I NEED SOME FUN MY DEPRESSION IS GETTING WORST (WHAT ANOTHER MAJIC PILL) I THINK THERE WAITING FOR ALL THE SENIORS TO DIE OUT BEFORE PAYMENT IS DUE,AS YOU SEE I HAVE DELOVEPED RAGE NOW ALONG WITH EVERTHING ELSE ………..
JOYCE
Comment by Kenneth on 18 December 2012:
My family received information on a settlement in our class action suit in July. Since then, there have been drips of mailings asking for agreements and more agreements. Law firms are in control of the money, but it hasn’t been disbursed. Stories change. I’d like to know where the suits are filed and the judge overseeing the cases.
Comment by joyce on 19 December 2012:
I’M STILL WAITING FOR MY LETTER!
Comment by Jay on 9 January 2013:
As a retired attorney I can tell you that this is an unusually long waiting.period for a lawsuit settlement. If your attorney is going into court to continue your settlement negotiations it may very well cost you more money out of your settlement then was originally agreed upon. If this is the case, then usually the judges are protecting the defendants. Since the judgment was reached way back in June 2012 then all judgments that are passed down by courts to defendant’s are due to the plaintiff’s within 30 days from the court judgments There is definitely a problem since it is really impossible to get an answer of why your settlement has not been delivered. I hope this is been some helpful information and good luck for a quick and big settlement.
Comment by Florence on 12 January 2013:
I rec’d a settlement in2011. But Attorney withheld monies. When I call I get the run around. i have not rec’d all of the funds and its over a year but the attorney red.a all of his expenses on the full total. I am trying to say the attroney has held my money but has been paid. What can I do?
Comment by BeeJay on 14 January 2013:
I am concerned also! My Aunt was told the case had been settled in July 2012 and paper were sent to her to show estimate of money she will be paid. I try to get her to call the Attorney’s office at least once a month. She’s afraid if she calls they will get mad at her and not send her the money. I told her they can’t do that. Then I see on here money was sent December 2012 and she did call and was told another story. they are waiting on papers to be signed then they will send her a settlement letter to sign and return.
What can you do and who do you notify for help if this continues to go on with no settlement being paid to you. Is there someone to call directly to get an answer?
Comment by joe on 16 January 2013:
Florence, The funds that was with held should be about 20% of the total. The reason for this is to cover any liens that you might have. This would also include any G’ovt aid. Medicare etc. Also, in case an adjustment has to be made in which your settlement be more then what you been told. What is also holding things up now is that it seem that private insurance companies want a piece of the pie. I know of some folks have been waiting for the difference for almost 2 years.
Comment by THERESA on 2 February 2013:
In March of 1999 I had back pain, & was short of breath. I was a Pediatric RN. I thought I had pneumonia. I went to the local ER, they immediately sent me via ambulance to Stoneybrook Hosp for a Cardiac Cath. I had to have an emergency quadruple bypass. I didn’t know that women, & diabetics have different symptoms than men. I was also diagnosed as a diabetic then as well. I had no diabetic symptoms. I was put on Avandia for the diabetes before I left the hosp. A yr after the bypass, I had to have another cath, as I was again having back pain & breathing problems. I had to have 4 coronary stents placed, along with a lt vertebral stent. Only a few hosp at that time placed vertebral stents. It’s a dangerous procedure, I could end up completely paralyzed, have a stroke, or dead. I had a stroke. Supposedly some plaque or a clot went to my brain. I was only 44 yrs old at the time. I recovered quickly due to my age, & sheer will. I was also then diagnosed with CHF, & I had also had atrial fibulation & had to be put on a blood thinner. I had several other heart attacks that I didn’t know I had, as they were “silent” they were found when I had an ultrasound of my heart, then had another cath to verify. A yr after having the vertebral stent placed, I needed to have it reopened, as it had clogged, & another one placed further up closer to my brain. Even with the coumadin (blood thinners) I con’t to have small strokes TIA’s they last from a few min to 24 hrs. If they last over 24 hrs they are then classified as CVA’s a full stroke. I had many of these. Some I didn’t even know I was having, others saw & heard me, & knew what was happening. I also have occluded carotid arteries bilaterally. They are about 60-70% occluded. The Cardiologist doesn’t want to do anything with them until they are at least 75-80% occluded. I also have PAD in my Lt leg, it hurts if I’m on it too long. My liver is also cirrhosed (I don’t drink, never have, don’t like the taste) I was on Avandia for 4 yrs. I was also put on insulin 2 yrs after my bypass, I was diagnosed with insulin resistant diabetes. My starting dose not incl coverage was 30 u, I also took 185u/day of Lantus (long acting insulin) For the 4 yrs I was on Avandia I was hospitalized many times, also sent from one hospital to another that had whatever expertise I needed at the time. I had the vertebral stents placed in Lenox Hill Hosp in NYC. I saw an advertisement about Avandia, & the problems it caused on TV. I brought this info to my PCP, He said, “Oh yeah, that’s right you take that, don’t take it anymore” Since coming off the Avandia I am doing better, at least I’m not clogging any further. There isn’t anything that can be done as far as the damage done to my body, but I’m not having to spend so much time hospitalized. I am totally disabled, I receive SSD, I lost my home, & had to move to NJ to live with my son who was in the military here, Most of my belongings were lost when the Sheriff put me out of my home, the rest is in storage. I can’t drive anymore, I have relatives to help me to get to Dr’s etc. There isn’t any public transportation where I live. My rent is going up again in May, my storage is going up next month. I can barely pay the rent, utilities, & all the copays for meds that I take. With the rent increasing, I don’t know where I’m going to go next. I got the letter stating that I would be getting a settlement from Girardi & Keese. They said it would be paid out in 2 payments. Everyone was getting the same amt in the 1st payment, & the 2nd payment would be the other 1/2 at least, or more depending on the amt of damage suffered by the Avandia. When I got the letter the time limit set for the 1st payment would be sometime in Dec 2012-Jan 2013. I then received another letter just prior to when I was to get the 1st payment, stating it was going to take around another 6 mos longer to get the 1st payment. I have read here that some people have already received some of their settlement already. Does anyone know when the 1st part of the settlement will find it’s way to the rest of us? Also, when will they determine what the 2nd part will be, & for how much? I need to move from here in May, & I have no idea where I’m going to end up. I will also have to either try to sell what I have in storage, or just let it go as I can’t afford to keep up the rental payment for the unit. I hate to have to lose it as most are family keepsakes. Anything of any value has already been sold to help with rent, Dr’s, & medications. If anyone knows anything more on this, I would really appreciate their sharing that info with the rest of us.
Comment by TERRY on 3 February 2013:
I ALREADY LEFT MY COMMENT. DO I NEED TO REDO IT IN ORDER FOR IT TO POST?
Comment by TERRY on 3 February 2013:
MY COMMENT THAT I LEFT 2 DAYS AGO HAS DISAPPEARED.. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE COMMENT I LEFT?
Comment by TERRY on 4 February 2013:
Just to clarify some of the problems I mentioned in the above comments, concerning my arteries repeatedly occluding, it was not due to any problems with my cholesterol. Both my LDL, & HDL were all within normal limits. Also, none were due to diet, I have followed a very strict Diabetic diet, & I am not over weight, I am a size 6. I don’t believe any of these problems were caused by anything that was naturally, or physically wrong with my body. I don’t believe I would have had to have all the stents I had within 1-2 yrs of having the quadruple bypass, nor any of the CVA’s, TIA’s, or any other MI’s were I not taking the Avandia during, & after these episodes. Having to have bypass surgery isn’t that uncommon, & people who have had this procedure go on to having a full, & happy life, without having to constantly be hospitalized, for all that I have had to be hospitalized for.
Comment by Fran on 19 February 2013:
There was nothing wrong with my husband’s heart until he took Avandia for diabetes. We have thousands of Drs., medicines, and hospital bills. We have received no compensation but still have to pay bills resulting from Avandia that the FDA is still approving. We as consumers need to rally. If there’s anyone out there who knows why it takes so long to disperse the monies email me. let’s talk.
Comment by joyce on 21 February 2013:
hope you have a lawyer don’t expect money everyone is still waiting!Write your congress man may be that might help ,but still the money is there but there just not handing it out ,but there getting the intrest you have a very long wait my dear and the site will not put up you e-mail address blessings joyce
Comment by faye on 14 March 2013:
well several folks brought up good point-the money does me no good if I am dead -so is obvious many cases are settled but have not seen where anyone has money in hand.What is so hard for a judge to say ok lawyeres pay your clients.??????????
Comment by Tonya on 26 March 2013:
My mother had called a Law Firm to handle her Avandia case,and she received a letter almost 2 years ago telling her how much she will be awarded for the heart attack she had suffered and how much the attorney was getting, so she had to sign this letter and return it to the law firm.My mom sometimes calls the law firm at least once a week because they fail to communicate to her, so i have her to call once a week. She also had to send in medical release forms from all her doctors, regular doctor visits and when she had her heart attack. 6 months ago when she called the attorney she said that she was waiting on the judge to release the papers and after he releases them to the law firm then they will look over them and send them to her. The only papers that she has received so far is papers stating that a private company was looking over her claim ( private insurance ) the insurance company that was listed on the paper my mother does not have , but anyways she had to sign them and return them….now that the judge has release the papers, they are saying that the counsel is looking over everything and once they do that then they will be sending out the release papers back to my mom and then they will release her settlement check??!!!! this doesnt make since to me either.If the judge had released everything in June of 2012 and clients are suppose to get settlement within 30 days of that , then why here it is March 2013 and no release letter has been mailed and the settlement check has not been sent?
Comment by a dubose on 3 April 2013:
well it looks like everybody has a long wait. something sinister is going on. i wonder if there is anybody that can help us get our money. the ag or congress.
Comment by Teddy on 12 April 2013:
I too believe it is scam. What can we as victim do about theses about this? We need a class act law suite against them. I want my money!
Comment by Brina on 9 May 2013:
It is apparent that some class action claimants are being misused, victimized by certain class action attorneys. Sad to say, I recently experienced some of the same class action attorney abuse and avoidance. When calling the law office, I never speak to an attorney,
I always speak to their so called litigation assistant, who says she is not a paralegal. I was told that they mailed the Avandia settlement out back in December 2012, however, never received it. I asked for their postal tracking number and was given a postal track number that does not prove that anything was mailed from their state.
It looks like class action claimants/victims might need legal representation to sue law firms that attempt to steal class action settlements. Where is the protection from the court(s)? Somebody help us out here! We will not be victimized twice. We must not be silent, lets make some noise!!!!!
Comment by stephanie on 12 May 2013:
First of all, I feel some of these lawyer or group are full of BS I think that they’re making interest off of our money. After my brother and I opt to participate on this HMO supposedly to see if our father owed anything through medicaid or Amerigroup the attorneys said that what was the hold up with the rest of our money inwhich is taking forever, now they said that the HMO has sued on a different suit that they didn’t want to participate in the first suit. If our father had any bills after his death from taking advandia i’m sure I would have received some type of bill or bills but he didn’t. I have always kept a change of address because I handled all his affairs. It just seems like our attorneys are just prolonging the pay off. We first received about 16000 they we had to split back in 04/12 and then we received 4000 in August, now they’re saying we must wait until they found out if he owes on the HMO side, now we received a letter saying they waiting to see what the HMO side will get in their suit, but he didn’t, I already verified it. So now what?