Prempro Lawsuit Results in $9.5M Award for Breast Cancer Survivor
In yet another loss for Pfizer’s Wyeth unit involving side effects of Prempro, a Philadelphia jury awarded $9.45 million this week to an Alabama woman who said that the hormone replacement therapy caused her to develop breast cancer.
The verdict, which is the fifth Prempro lawsuit loss in a row for Wyeth, included $3.45 million in compensatory damages and $6 million in punitive damages awarded to punish the company for their conduct. In the case, Audrey Singleton alleged that Wyeth knew about the risk of breast cancer from Prempro and failed to warn the public about the risk of the drug. According to a report by Bloomberg News, the jury took only minutes to determine that Pfizer, which bought Wyeth last year, should be penalized for the drug maker’s conduct.
Late last year, Pfizer was ordered to pay punitive damages over Prempro by two other Philadelphia juries who found that Wyeth purposefully hid Prempro’s breast cancer risk. Overall, Wyeth has lost seven of the last 10 lawsuits over the hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
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Learn MoreHormone replacement therapy involves the use of hormones and progestins to artificially boost hormone levels in women undergoing menopause due to surgery or in postmenopausal women, to provide relief from symptoms such as hot flashes, irregular menstruation or weight gain.
In 2002 the National Institutes of Health released the results of studies that found women receiving HRT were at higher risk of breast cancer, strokes and heart attacks. The studies, part of the Women’s Health Initiative, sparked most of the hormone replacement therapy breast cancer lawsuits currently pending throughout the country.
There are an estimated 9,000 Prempro lawsuits pending against Wyeth and Pfizer. All of the lawsuits include similar allegations that the drug company’s failure to warn consumers and the medical community about the risk of Prempro side effects caused them to develop invasive breast cancer.
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6 Comments
alexd585November 18, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Very nice site!
MarthaSeptember 11, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Over 2 years taking prempo , last year I generated breast cancer. Before that the doctor prescribe for 10 years birth control pills because I had fybroides in the uterus. Name of the birth control is Lo - ovral Breast Cancer positive to estrogen
MaryAugust 28, 2010 at 3:12 pm
I was a healthy and happy woman until December 2000 when the doctor told me I had breast cancer, I had a mastectomy done and my life destroyed, this happen after seven years I was taken Prempro, after the study done is proven this HRT drug is responsible for all my suffering and the suffering of thousands of more women.
JudithAugust 14, 2010 at 6:18 am
Same information was given to me as that posted by Gertrude May 27, 2010. How wonderful Prempro was for protection against aging bones, heart etc. I went through menopause in the late 80's, as best I can recall. Good. March 6, 2004 I got the good news I had breast cancer. I suspect I was "on" HRT 8-10 years. No one, absolutely no one in my immediate family was ever diagnosed with any form of [Show More]Same information was given to me as that posted by Gertrude May 27, 2010. How wonderful Prempro was for protection against aging bones, heart etc. I went through menopause in the late 80's, as best I can recall. Good. March 6, 2004 I got the good news I had breast cancer. I suspect I was "on" HRT 8-10 years. No one, absolutely no one in my immediate family was ever diagnosed with any form of cancer. I am now a 6 year survivor. I tell all young women, if the subject comes up, not to take HRT. Had I known..........
KimJune 3, 2010 at 9:36 pm
I just started Prempro about two months ago, for perimenopausal symptoms. I'm 44 years old. My mother passed away at the age of 61 three and a half years ago from Breast CA with brain Mets. I've been wrestling as to whether I should continue taking this medication, reading this story helped me to make up my mind. God Bless!
GertrudeMay 27, 2010 at 5:22 pm
I was told in the middle 1980's when my gynecologist started me on Prempro, because I was in menopause, that this would protect my bones and heart and end the "hot flashes". I didn't so much mind the "hot flashes" but knowing this would help strengthen my bones and help eliminate heart problems, I agreed. When news started to show that Prem Pro could cause breast cancer in the 2000's, I took m[Show More]I was told in the middle 1980's when my gynecologist started me on Prempro, because I was in menopause, that this would protect my bones and heart and end the "hot flashes". I didn't so much mind the "hot flashes" but knowing this would help strengthen my bones and help eliminate heart problems, I agreed. When news started to show that Prem Pro could cause breast cancer in the 2000's, I took myself off of this medication in 2004. I elected to do this even though my doctor told me we could just reduce the dosage and it would be all right. I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer 4 years later.