*Update* Pfizer Unit Pharmacia and Upjohn May Be Tagged Again For Some Of The Same Allegations As In Mirapex Cases
In an update to our previous post, here, a jury ordered a $28 million verdict for punitive damages. Punitive damages require a finding of wanton and reckless conduct. The jury heard evidence that the drug companies' attempt to suppress the concerns about negative side effects of hormone replacement therapy drug Prempro, namely breast cancer. Similar allegations have been leveled against Pfizer and Pharmacia and Upjohn in pending litigation over the drug Mirapex.
Louisville, Kentucky attorney Will Nefzger is handling cases for several clients involving the drug Mirapex (Pramipexole). Mirapex is commonly prescribed for people with Parkinson's Disease and Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). However, an alleged side effect of the drug is the onset of compulsive behaviors related to pleasure and reward seeking, including gambling, sexual activity, eating and shopping. Many reports indicate that the affected person had no history of the compulsive behavior he/she became afflicted with and was able to completely stop it following a dosage reduction or stoppage.
In July 2008, a Minnesota jury ordered $8.3 million in the first, and to date only, trial involving the drug and the allegations mentioned above. $7.8 million of the verdict was for punitive damages related to the jury's finding that Mirapex's manufacturer misrepresented the facts associated with the risks of taking the drug. The cases being handled by Nefzger are situated in the same venue where the trial took place.
