Minn. Woman Sues Pfizer for Lipitor Type-2 Diabetes

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Minnesota plaintiff Christine A. Holman is suing Pfizer Inc. for the injuries she allegedly sustained from ingesting their cholesterol medication, Lipitor. Holman alleges that as a direct result of taking Lipitor, she developed type-2 diabetes.

According to her Lipitor lawsuit, Holman was first prescribed Lipitor in order to help treat her cholesterol levels and reduce her risk of developing heart disease. She stayed on the medication for more than a decade, until she discovered that the medication may have induced an alarming counterproductive condition. Sometime in 2010, Holman developed type-2 diabetes, but she continued to take the medication until she discovered the possible correlation in August 2013.

Due to her new condition, Holman is now at an even greater risk of developing cardiac complications, and is more likely to develop blindness, neuropathy and kidney disease, according to her Lipitor lawsuit. Additionally, Holman has had to alter her lifestyle and must adhere to a schedule of diabetic medications, follow a strict diet, and undergo regular blood tests and medical checkups. Holman states in her Lipitor lawsuit that if she had known that Lipitor had been known to cause type-2 diabetes, she never would have taken the medication.

Holman states that Pfizer should have warned her about these Lipitor side effects because she was relying on the accuracy of the given information. Additionally, she says there were no warnings or indications that explicitly mentioned type-2 diabetes on the drug’s label, nor did the label make her aware of any relevant scientific studies. According to her Lipitor lawsuit, at no point in time was she made aware of these possibilities by the defendants.

Overview of Lipitor Diabetes Complications

Lipitor (atorvastatin) is a cholesterol-lowering medication manufactured by Pfizer. It was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996. It is the best-selling drug in pharmaceutical history. Many patients use Lipitor to lower their cholesterol levels, in the hopes of preventing high blood pressure and reducing the risk cardiac complications.

Others take the medication to lower their already-high cholesterol, in the hopes of preventing any further complications. Ideally, combining this drug with diet and exercise, Lipitor would allow patients to live longer, healthier and more active lifestyles. However, recent injury reports have indicated that Lipitor may induce type-2 diabetes. The exact reason Lipitor may be causing this reaction is unknown, but it is shown to be more common in postmenopausal women who had taken the medication for more than one year.

Several years ago, the British Medical Journal published a study that had been conducted by Canadian researchers who observed the occurrence of type-2 diabetes development in patients who used statins. More than 470,000 patents were observed in this study, and researchers found that the patients who had used Lipitor and Crestor had an increased likelihood of developing type-2 diabetes by 22 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

Despite this information, Pfizer has yet to update Lipitor’s warning label to explicitly mention the possibility of type-2 diabetes development. Holman is seeking damages for medical compensation, pain and suffering and other punitive charges.

This Lipitor lawsuit is Christine A. Holman v. Pfizer Inc., Case No. 0:13-cv-03139-JRT-TNL, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Help for Victims of Lipitor Diabetes

If you or a loved one were prescribed Lipitor before February 1, 2012 and were later diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, you may be able to take legal action against the drug’s manufacturer. Filing a Lipitor lawsuit may help you obtain compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering and other damages. Learn more and obtain a free case evaluation at the Lipitor Diabetes Class Action Lawsuit Investigation.