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Following the
announcement by Pfizer at the insistence of the United States FDA (and other drug regulatory agencies worldwide) that it would recall Bextra, attorneys for
arthritis patients have asked a judicial panel in Washington, D.C. to move all the lawsuits in the country to one federal court, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, which is in New Orleans, for consolidation and management.
(Related article: Several
Bextra recall lawsuits already filed)
Even prior to the
annonucement of Bextra
recall, Pfizer has been a target of numerous Bextra related
class action lawsuits along with Celebrex class action
lawsuits. It is expected that after this announcement, the number of lawsuits filed against Pfizer will explode. The company is also being investigated by several government agencies.
The nature of lawsuits that Pfizer is facing is somewhat different than those being faced by Merck after
Vioxx recall. Not only was Vioxx
used by far more Americans, the number of deaths and personal injuries from Vioxx is unprecedented. At this time, there are only a few reports of deaths from Bextra, though it is estimated that as many as
140,000 Americans have been hurt by Vioxx.
That does not mean, however, that Bextra was any less dangerous than Vioxx. On the other hand, the FDA found the
Bextra to be so dangerous that it has forced Pfizer to recall it.
Vioxx was voluntarily recalled by
Merck.
Numerous lawyers have already been heavily involved in lawsuits around the U.S. involving Vioxx, Bextra and Celebrex, and it is expected that the same lawyers will continue to add new clients because of the similarities in the lawsuits.
(Related article: Bextra
lawsuits to explode during coming weeks)
Richard J. Arsenault, an attorney active in
Vioxx
litigation, says, "We're all gearing up to possibly be at the center of this nationwide litigation. All of the
cases involving Vioxx have been transferred to the federal court in New Orleans and it would be appropriate if the Bextra/Celebrex litigation were here also. The withdrawal of Bextra is reminiscent of what happened with Vioxx back in September. We need to make sure that people who have taken Bextra or Celebrex and suffered a serious side effect are heard and that the drug manufacturer is held accountable.
Pfizer failed to disclose the risks of Bextra and Celebrex and many people have suffered strokes and heart attacks
(South
Beach Heart Program) as a result. We want to help those who have been injured."
"The risks associated with Bextra have been known for quite some time," commented Jerrold S. Parker, one of the founding partners of Parker & Waichman, LLP, another law firm dealing with Bextra litigation. "We are encouraged that the drug is off the market but feel sorry for the thousands of Bextra users who have needlessly suffered. The fatal side effects of Bextra are nothing new and we believe this withdrawal was long overdue. We will continue to bring claims on behalf of Bextra victims whose lives have been impaired or lost."
Parker & Waichman, LLP and Seeger Weiss LLP filed the first Bextra heart attack case in the United States. The case was filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, against Pfizer. The suit was on behalf of the estate of a 46 year old man who died of a heart attack while using Bextra. The suit claims that Pfizer has not acted responsibly and has failed to adequately warn consumers about the potential side effects associated with Bextra. Parker & Waichman, LLP and Seeger Weiss LLP intend to file additional suits in the coming weeks on behalf of Bextra users who have suffered heart attacks, strokes and serious skin reactions known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.
"We are pleased with the FDA's decision to recall
Bextra, and we can only hope that Pfizer acts responsibly and withdraws Celebrex as well," Andy Birchfield of Beasley Allen law firm stated in a press conference.
Similar demand
for the recall of Celebrex has been made by the consumer rights group Public
Citizen.
Beasley Allen has been an outspoken leader in the charge to have all of the "Coxibs" — Bextra, Celebrex, and Vioxx — taken off the market since the law firm took on its first case against Merck over 4 years ago. Birchfield, Beasley Allen’s lead
Bextra litigation
attorney, is spearheading the review of over 1000 cases, having filed 58 of those cases against Pfizer. "The FDA should have done this months ago considering all of the information they had access to," he says. "Their delay has put thousands of people at risk and that can't be justified. It is apparent that without the courts, the American people would have little hope when it comes to the regulation of the drug industry."
Since
there are so many similarities between Vioxx legal
battle and Bextra class action lawsuits, a lot of the
advice that we have been giving to Vioxx victims is
valid for Bextra victims as well.
How
to find a Bextra attorney?
How
to avoid gold digger attorneys?
How
to hire an attorney?
Should
you accept a cash advance?
How
to avoid scams related to drug recall lawsuits?
Bextra
recall lawsuits filed in Canada
Avandia recall |
