Super Poligrip Settlements Reached in Some Denture Cream Lawsuits

GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to settle a number of Super Poligrip lawsuits filed by plaintiffs who say they suffered severe and debilitating injuries as a result of zinc poisoning from the denture cream

The Super Poligrip settlements were reached with at least one law firm, who filed a motion Tuesday in federal court to establish a fund to satisfy claims involving their clients while the allocation and final disbursement of the monies is finalized. The number of lawsuits over Super Poligrip settled or the amount of money GlaxoSmithKline will pay were not disclosed in the court documents.

A few hundred lawsuits have been filed against GlaxoSmithKline and Proctor & Gamble, which manufacturers Fixodent denture cream, in courts throughout the United States by individuals who suffered severe neurological injuries as a result of high amounts of zinc entering their body from the popular over-the-counter products. The Super Poligrip and Fixodent lawsuits allege that the manufacturers failed to inform consumers that the denture cream products contains zinc and failed to warn about the risk or problems that can be caused when too much of the denture adhesive is used.

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Denture cream zinc poisoning can occur when high levels of zinc in the body cause copper depletion, leading to permanent and debilitating neurological problems like neuropathy, numbness, tingling, pain, weakness, loss of sensation, loss of balance, paralysis and difficulty breathing. Although the recommended daily allowance of zinc is 11 mg for men and 8 mg for women, with 40 mg being the maximum amount of zinc that can be safely tolerated, some users of the denture creams have been found to have levels as high as 330 mg per day.

All federal lawsuits over Super Poligrip and Fixodent have been consolidated as part of an MDL, or multidistrict litigation, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. A number of state court lawsuits filed in Pennsylvania have also been consolidated into a Mass Tort Program (MTP) in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

Since litigation started, both GlaxoSmithKline and Proctor & Gamble have added zinc warnings to labels and websites for Super Poligrip and Fixodent. Earlier this year, Glaxo announced it was recalling all Super Poligrip products that contained zinc and was replacing them with non-zinc products.

The Super Poligrip settlement agreement comes as GlaxoSmithKline has been resolving a number of different outstanding liabilities. Earlier this month it was reported that the company set aside $2.36 billion to settle Avandia lawsuits, Paxil lawsuits and an investigation by the U.S. government. It is unclear whether the costs associated with settling Super Poligrip lawsuits was included in this set aside or whether GlaxoSmithKline has reached similar agreements with other denture cream lawyers.

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6 Comments

  • calvinAugust 16, 2012 at 1:48 am

    I am so frustrated with this, I have been fighting this for 3 years. I have filed a lawsuit, and have been miserable for years. I have lost balance and fallen down numerous times. I HAVE HAd 3 mri and nothing, but continue to have problems. Really wish they could figure it out, I am 52 years old, and can no longer work trying to get ssd and ssi but nothing yet,how depressimg

  • WalterAugust 2, 2012 at 12:18 pm

    I was using the polygrip with Zinc in it for years.

  • ErnestApril 4, 2011 at 2:17 am

    Was wondering if these products could cause signs of arthritis? My reumitologist can not find any sign of arthritis but I have been diagnosed with chronic pain in both hands andI am now on numerous pain meds. which i can not pass drug screen for employment.

  • susanAugust 23, 2010 at 9:48 pm

    i use fixadent an poligrip serval times a day. i have numbness in my arms had a nerve test but no pinched nerves. saw this ad no i wonder is it zinc exposure. i guess i need to call my doctor and let them test me

  • CherylAugust 7, 2010 at 8:49 pm

    My mom called last night. She saw an ad about class action against the Poli-Grip people. She (70rs) has had unexplained pains in her legs now for 3yrs. She has been to plenty of doctors and not one ever told her that she may be suffering from Zinc exposure. I'm shocked that a test like that was never on a test panel. She has been a Poli-Grip user for a number of years (more than 5yrs, I/m su[Show More]My mom called last night. She saw an ad about class action against the Poli-Grip people. She (70rs) has had unexplained pains in her legs now for 3yrs. She has been to plenty of doctors and not one ever told her that she may be suffering from Zinc exposure. I'm shocked that a test like that was never on a test panel. She has been a Poli-Grip user for a number of years (more than 5yrs, I/m sure) She needs help and I and my sisters need answers.

  • juneAugust 7, 2010 at 1:02 am

    I was visiting my daughter in N Mexico… I had put poligrip on, then we headed out the gate to go shopping… Suddenly I got a tickle in my throat and could not breathe… I gasped for air, (thought I was dying..) my daughter called 911, they came, I had another attack, The paramedics wanted to take me to the hospital, and I told them that if I had another one, I would Have my daughter take me…[Show More]I was visiting my daughter in N Mexico… I had put poligrip on, then we headed out the gate to go shopping… Suddenly I got a tickle in my throat and could not breathe… I gasped for air, (thought I was dying..) my daughter called 911, they came, I had another attack, The paramedics wanted to take me to the hospital, and I told them that if I had another one, I would Have my daughter take me… then suddenly, I had another attack….. So I was rushed by ambulance to Prespiterian Hospital in Espanola N. M…. After a few hours I had another attack… All the attacks started with a tickle in my throat, then my throat would close up, then I could not breathe, I would gasp for air. Some attacks were a minute, some more… In a 24 hr period I had about 21 attacks, I spent 2 nights in the hospital, no one knew what it was…or what caused it.. I have a huge hospital bill, and I thought it was odd, that every single time, I put on poligrip (one time fix o dent) I would have another attack…….but I thought it was my imagination until I just saw a commericial… go figure?? I don’t know if poligrip was the cause… have you ever heard of symtoms like mine in other Clients?? It has stopped now…. But I had attacks for about 6 days.. then It went away… Sure would like to know what caused this…. And if it was Poligrip…then It makes sense…

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