Ga. Woman Sues Pfizer, Alleging Lipitor Gave Her Diabetes

Georgia plaintiff Christine M. Cannata is suing Pfizer Inc. for the injuries she allegedly sustained from ingesting the cholesterol medication Lipitor. Cannata alleges that as a direct result of using Lipitor, she developed type-2 diabetes and will have to suffer permanent complications from the condition.

Cannata was prescribed Lipitor in February 2007 to help lower her cholesterol. Initially, the drug appeared to be working. She followed the instructions listed on the drug’s label as well as the advice of her physician. She also maintained a healthy diet and exercise schedule. On Sept. 18, 2012, she discovered that she had type-2 diabetes. After Cannata learned that Lipitor could potentially cause type-2 diabetes in some patients, she ceased the medication completely in July 2013.

Due to her type-2 diabetes diagnosis, Cannata must adhere to a strict diabetic diet, check her blood pressure, take a variety of medications, and go to regular doctor appointments. Additionally, her new condition puts her at an even higher risk for developing heart disease, which was the very condition she had been using Lipitor to prevent.

According to her Lipitor lawsuit, at no point in time was Cannata or her physician made aware of this possible diabetes side effect. Cannata states that if she had known about this side effect, she never would have taken the medication. Her Lipitor diabetes lawsuit accuses Pfizer of manufacturing, selling, distributing and marketing a dangerous drug. The charges include negligence, false advertising, concealing information and misrepresenting a product. Cannata is seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other punitive damages.

Overview of Lipitor Diabetes Complications

Lipitor was first approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on Dec. 17, 1996, to be used as a cholesterol-lowering medication for adult patients. It is considered one of Pfizer’s greatest market successes, and was once the best-selling drug in the world. Currently, it is one of the most popular drugs in America. Despite its popularity, it has been recently associated with major complications, primarily concerning the development of Lipitor diabetes in some patients.

Lipitor is prescribed to patients who are at high risk for cardiovascular disease, and works by reducing the amount of cholesterol and other fatty substances the cells absorb. Lipitor is a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, and is a part of the pharmaceutical family called statins. Scientific studies have shown that the development of type-2 diabetes typically occurs in postmenopausal women who have taken Lipitor for more than a year. Despite not knowing the exact cause of these Lipitor complications, on Aug. 11, 2011, the FDA’s Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products requested that Pfizer update Lipitor’s label to include some warning of type-2 diabetes side effects.

In February 2012, Pfizer complied with the request, but only mentioned the drug may cause a shift in glucose levels, without mentioning type-2 diabetes directly. Before this update, no warnings about blood-sugar levels had ever been mentioned on the Lipitor label.

The Lipitor lawsuit is Christine M. Cannata v. Pfizer Inc., Case No. 1:13-cv-03761-AT, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

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.