The federal court overseeing thousands of Lipitor lawsuits has scheduled the multidistrict litigation’s next Case Management Conference for Thursday, April 23. The calendar for the U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina indicates that the Conference will address issues pertaining to product liability claims filed on behalf of Lipitor patients who allegedly developed new-onset type-2 diabetes due to its use. (In re Lipitor (Atorvastatin) Litigation, MDL No. 2502)

The proceeding should provide an opportunity to obtain more information about the status of discovery, upcoming Lipitor bellwether trials, and other matters impacting Lipitor plaintiffs.

Additionally, court records indicate that jury selection for the first Lipitor bellwether trial of a lawsuit involving Lipitor and diabetes will begin on Nov. 4, 2015. In multidistrict litigations, bellwether trials serve as test cases, and the outcome of this proceeding may provide valuable insight into how juries could rule in similar Lipitor lawsuits.

Lipitor Allegations

Pfizer Inc. manufactures, promotes and distributes Lipitor. Women across the U.S. have reported developing type-2 diabetes while taking Lipitor. The company is now being blamed for thousands of cases of type-2 diabetes linked to its cholesterol-lowering drug.

The FDA warned the public in 2012 that use of statin medications, like Lipitor, might lead to hyperglycemia (increased blood glucose levels) and type-2 diabetes. But studies dating back to the 1990s had already reported findings to that end.

According to injured Lipitor plaintiffs, Pfizer either knew or should have known about the link between Lipitor and type-2 diabetes. The company had a duty to investigate the issue and warn the public. Instead, it continued to market its cholesterol drug as a safe, effective and heart-healthy solution for high cholesterol levels.

Lipitor plaintiffs similarly allege that had Pfizer warned them about the risk of Lipitor diabetes, they would have used alternative medications or closely monitored their blood sugar levels. Instead, they were left in the dark as the pharmaceutical giant generated billions of dollars in profit from its potentially dangerous drug.

Lipitor Lawsuits

According to court documents, the federal Lipitor litigation includes more than 2,000 Lipitor lawsuits, all of which have been consolidated in the District of South Carolina for the purposes of coordinated pretrial proceedings. Filings indicate that these legal actions were initiated after the FDA warned in February 2012 that cholesterol-lowering statins like Lipitor might be associated with an increased risk of new-onset type-2 diabetes. At the time, the agency required that manufacturers add new information to the labels of Lipitor and other statins regarding their potential effect on blood glucose levels. However, Lipitor lawsuit plaintiffs claim that the label modifications made by Pfizer still do not adequately warn that the drug may increase the risk for diabetes.

Lipitor patients who allegedly developed type-2 diabetes due to its use may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages related to the disorder.

The Lipitor Diabetes MDL is In Re: Lipitor (Atorvastatin Calcium) Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation (No. II), MDL No. 2502, in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.