AstraZeneca Successful in First Diabetes Seroquel Lawsuit

A New Jersey jury has handed drug maker AstraZeneca a defense verdict in the first trial over claims that side effects of Seroquel, a popular atypical antipsychotic, caused users to develop diabetes. 

The Seroquel lawsuits have been filed in both state and federal court against AstraZeneca. The cases all contain similar allegations that AstraZeneca failed to adequately warn users about the risk of weight gain with Seroquel, which may increase the risk of diabetes, hyperglycemia and other injuries.

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Baker’s lawsuit went to trial in New Jersey state court. Following a month-long trial, the jury deliberated for six hours before returning a defense verdict.

The decision was based on the individual circumstances of Baker’s case and does not have any precedential impact on other pending cases. AstraZeneca has indicated that it intends to continue to defend itself at trial in individual lawsuits, adopting a legal strategy of trying to show that each plaintiff either already suffered from diabetes or had a number of risk factors for the disease before taking Seroquel.

All federal Seroquel lawsuits over diabetes are consolidated for pretrial litigation in an MDL, or multidistrict litigation, that is centralized in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. In November, U.S. District Judge Anne Conway ordered lawyers for both sides to met with a mediator to see if there is any possibility for a Seroquel settlement before as many as 6,000 cases are sent back to the districts where they were originally filed for trial. Dozens of other cases have already been slated for trials, including at least 38 federal cases in the MDL.

4 Comments

  • danJuly 6, 2013 at 7:49 pm

    should I keep taking this poison or not

  • ron.November 23, 2012 at 5:59 am

    Seroquel is dangerous especially for a diabeti

  • larryApril 7, 2011 at 11:29 pm

    When is the calif class action law suit to be addressed ?I dont know if cant make it with my diabetes much longer!!!!!! Does anyone know whats going on?

  • GilbertMarch 19, 2010 at 11:23 pm

    My girlfriend used seroquel since 1997 in increasing dosages starting 300mg the first year, for "bipolar disorder" and 3 years later increased to 900mg daily, until 2006. Developed chronic pancreatitis, cognitive problems, unstable blood pressure, colon problems, hospital stays every 2 months NPO for 5-7 days at a time. She's on painkillers and the subsequent side effects, enzymes to hel her diges[Show More]My girlfriend used seroquel since 1997 in increasing dosages starting 300mg the first year, for "bipolar disorder" and 3 years later increased to 900mg daily, until 2006. Developed chronic pancreatitis, cognitive problems, unstable blood pressure, colon problems, hospital stays every 2 months NPO for 5-7 days at a time. She's on painkillers and the subsequent side effects, enzymes to hel her digest, the law firm in charge of her case conviniently "lost" the medical records, now another law firm will handle her case. We just want justice for her!!

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