Prempro Lawsuit Jury Finds Wyeth Hid Breast Cancer Risk
Published: October 28th, 2009 • Comments: 5
In the second phase of a trial against Wyeth over their hormone replacement therapy (HRT) Prempro, a Philadelphia jury has determined that Wyeth purposefully hid the risk of breast cancer and awarded the plaintiff punitive damages in addition to the $3.7 million in damages awarded last month. The amount of the punitive damages award has been sealed pending the outcome of another Prempro trial that is already underway in the same courthouse.
The verdict came in a Prempro lawsuit filed on behalf of 64-year old Connie Barton, who was diagnosed with breast cancer after taking the drug for five years to treat menopause symptoms. In the first phase of the trial, the jury found that Barton’s breast cancer was caused by side effects of Prempro and determined that she should be awarded $3.7 million in damages.
In the second phase of the trial, the jury considered whether Wyeth was responsible for those damages and whether their conduct was so bad that punitive damages should be awarded as punishment. According to Bloomberg News, the jury only deliberated for 25 minutes before ordering Wyeth to pay the compensatory damages of $3.7 million and a punitive damages award that was immediately sealed by the court.
Barton’s case is one of about 9,000 Prempro lawsuits pending against Wyeth that allege the company failed to adequately warn about the risk of invasive breast cancer from hormone replacement therapies, and intentionally hid the cancer risk from women.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) 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 that 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 breast cancer lawsuits currently against the company.
Wyeth’s Prempro and its other major HRT drug, Premarin, have been used by at least 6 million women worldwide. Last year, Prempro generated more than $1 billion in sales.
Comment by Judy on 29 October 2009:
i was put HRT from my OB Dr. and after a few years on it. They found canser in my right breast. Which I had to have a mascetomy. I was Estergeon positive. and put on Tamxoafine for 5 years. I feel pain/have had the Shingles in that side and am lost with out my breast.
Comment by Owen on 26 November 2009:
My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a partial mastectomy on 11/03/2009. She has been on PremPro for 7-8 yrs. We live in Kentucky, and just found out the danger of PremPro. Is she barred from legal action by a statute of limitations>
Comment by MARTHA on 30 November 2009:
i was in a study sponsered by wyeth for 2 yrs fron 1998 to 2000. iwas given prempro . the purpose of the study was to determine if hrt prevented osteoporois. after the study the dr. prescribed the same drug until i was diagnosed with estrogen sensitive ductile cancer in my left breast. i had a mastectomy and reconstruction feb.2002. i had a reaccurance in the same breast in feb. 2004. i had radiation[33 treatments]. last month i was diagnosed with my third bout in the same breast and am having surgery in 4 weeks. do i qualify for the class action suit and how do i go about that?
Comment by shirley on 18 January 2010:
I was diagnosed with breast Cancer inf my left breast in 1998 following the use of PremPro for two years. I had adjunct therapy of Chemo; radiation and five years of tomoxifin. Am I banned from legal action due to the Statue of limitations?
Comment by robert on 31 January 2010:
I understand that there is a class action suit against Wyeth Pharmaceuticals regarding the drug, Permax. Where is it taking place; in what jurisdiction; which Judge; what are the law firms involved?