Chantix Lawsuit Consolidation Hearing Scheduled for September

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has scheduled a hearing later next month to determine whether all federal Chantix lawsuits should be consolidated and centralized in one district for coordinated handling as part of an MDL, or Multidistrict Litigation.

The hearing is scheduled for September 24 and will give plaintiffs and defendants in the claims a chance to submit oral arguments for or against the consolidation. A growing number of lawsuits have been filed against Pfizer, maker of the smoking cessation drug, containing similar allegations that side effects of Chantix resulted in suicides or another severe injury.

Chantix (varenicline) was approved by the FDA in 2006 as a prescription medication to help people quit smoking. The drug works by reducing the positive feelings that come from cigarettes, blocking the receptors in the brain commonly stimulated by nicotine. However, the drug has been linked to increased risks of suicide and suicide attempts, aggressive behavioral changes and other psychiatric side effects.

The FDA has received hundreds of reports involving severe and fatal injuries linked to Chantix psychiatric side effects. In June, the FDA required a “black box” warning be placed on the drug alerting consumers and the medical community to the potential problems. Pfizer has also been required to conduct clinical trials providing more data on how often the neuropsychiatric symptoms occur and what conditions cause them.

Individuals who have filed a Chantix lawsuit against Pfizer allege that the drug maker failed to adequately test the drug and failed to adequately warn consumers of the potential side effects.

A group of 20 different plaintiffs filed a motion in early July asking for all federal cases to be consolidated into an MDL to avoid inconsistent pretrial rulings, repeat discovery on issues common to all cases and to serve the convenience of the parties, the witnesses and the court. The plaintiffs have requested that the cases be assigned to the Northern District of Alabama or the Northern District of Georgia, but the MDL Panel will determine where the cases are sent if they determine consolidation is appropriate.

While the first lawsuit over Chantix suicide side effects was filed against Pfizer last year, the number of new cases is expected to increase dramatically after the addition of the black box warning.

Chantix lawyers are currently investigating potential claims for individuals throughout the country who have suffered an injury. If the Chantix litigation is consolidated, as new cases are filed in various federal courts, they will be transferred into the MDL for coordinated handling during pretrial proceedings.