Couple Sues Pfizer for Lipitor Type-2 Diabetes

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Diane M. Walsh and William E. Walsh of Pennsylvania are suing Pfizer Inc. for the injuries Diane allegedly sustained from taking the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor. They allege thatDiane developed type-2 diabetes as a result of taking Lipitor.

According to the Lipitor lawsuit, Diane was initially prescribed Lipitor in 2003 and continued taking the drug until 2013. For 10 years, she says she relied on the goodwill and accuracy of the information provided to her and her physician. She was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes in March 2008. Despite the diagnosis, Diane continued to take the medication until she discovered that Lipitor may have been the cause for this unfortunate development.

As a result of her new condition, Diane must now undergo regular medical exams, take diabetic medication and adhere to a strict diet designed for type-2 diabetes. Diane had been prescribed Lipitor to lower her cholesterol, and help prevent cardiac disease. With her type-2 diabetes diagnosis, she is now at a higher risk for developing a variety of cardiac complications, as well as stroke, blindness and neuropathy.

The Lipitor lawsuit alleges neither the Walshes nor their physician were aware of the possibility of developing type-2 diabetes from the drug. There were no warnings or indications on the label, nor had the defendant-company made any effort to notify them about the risks. Had Diane known about the potential of developing Lipitor type-2 diabetes, she says she never would have taken the medication. They are currently seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other punitive damages.

Overview of Lipitor Complications

Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) is a cholesterol-lowering medication that reduces the amount of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the blood stream. Ideally, with healthy diet and exercise, Lipitor could help a patient live a longer and more full-filling lifestyle. The drug was first approved on Dec. 17, 1996 and is currently manufactured by Pfizer. It has since become the world’s best-selling drug, making it the best-selling drug in pharmaceutical history.

Lipitor was originally developed by Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research, a division of Warner-Lambert Company.  Eventually, Pfizer bought out this company and gained the rights to Lipitor, also gaining the preclinical data of this drug. This means that the defendant company had initial knowledge that this drug could possibly cause type-2 diabetes in patients, based on animal testing.

Despite the company’s initial knowledge of the pre-market data, Pfizer advertised Lipitor as safe and effective. However, on Aug. 11, 2011, the Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requested that Pfizer update Lipitor’s label to include some language regarding the preclinical data. Pfizer made a slight change to the label and added somewhat specific language in February 2012. However, many patients complained that the language was too vague and complex to fully comprehend, and it did not directly mention the possibility of Lipitor type-2 diabetes.

This Lipitor lawsuit is labeled as Diane M. Walsh & William E. Walsh v. Pfizer Inc., Case No. 3:13-cv-02561-MEM, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Wilkes-Barre Division.

Free Help for Women who Took Lipitor & Developed Diabetes

If you’re a woman who took Lipitor, or you know a woman who took Lipitor, and later developed type-2 diabetes, you have legal options. Please visit the Lipitor Diabetes Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. There, you can submit your claim for a free legal review and if it qualifies for legal action, a seasoned Lipitor lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation. You will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees. The Lipitor attorneys working this investigation do not get paid until you do.