Louisiana Woman Blames Pfizer for Lipitor Type-2 Diabetes

Louisiana plaintiff Gladys O. Board is suing Pfizer Inc. for the injuries she allegedly sustained after ingesting their cholesterol-lowering medication, Lipitor. 

Board was first prescribed Lipitor in 1998 and took the drug until March 2009. She had been prescribed Lipitor to treat her high cholesterol and reduce her risk of developing heart disease. However, despite following instructions from her physician and the drug’s label, she was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes in April 2004. It was not until 2009 that Board discovered the possible correlation between Lipitor and type-2 diabetes.

Had Board known about this possibility, she says she never would have taken the medication. Because of her Lipitor type-2 diabetes, she must now take insulin shots, diabetic medication and see her physician regularly for checkups.

Board claims that neither she nor her physician were aware of the risk of Lipitor type-2 diabetes, nor was it mentioned on the drug’s label. Therefore, the plaintiff had no reason to suspect that she was in any danger of developing type-2 diabetes from taking the medication. Furthermore, Board states that Pfizer had the responsibility to warn her and other patients taking this medication of the risks, because they are responsible for manufacturing the drug.

In her Lipitor lawsuit, Board accuses Pfizer of marketing, selling, manufacturing and distributing a dangerous drug. Other charges include misrepresenting a product, concealing information and false advertising.

Overview of Lipitor Complications

Lipitor is a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor drug, and is a member of the drug family known as statins. It is prescribed to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood, and is used primarily to prevent heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions. Lipitor was first approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on December 17, 1996 and was first manufactured and produced by Warner-Lambert. However on June 19, 2000, the company eventually merged with Pfizer, giving all rights to produce and sell Lipitor to the defendant company.

Allegedly, while Lipitor was first being produced, Pfizer had access to scientific data from animal testing indicating that the drug might cause type-2 diabetes. Despite this evidence, Pfizer still promoted and aggressively advertised Lipitor as a safe and reasonable way to treat high cholesterol. Pfizer’s marketing plans proved to be fruitful for the company, placing Lipitor as the best-selling drug in pharmaceutical history. Annual sales of Lipitor surpassed $130 billion. More than 20 million people take Lipitor to treat their high cholesterol. 

A study conducted in 2010 observed the reactions between patients and statin drugs. Approximately 91,000 patients were analyzed during this study. Some subjects took a statin drug while others were given a placebo. The results showed that more than 50 percent of the statin patients developed type-2 diabetes and other adverse effects after taking these drugs. Furthermore, FDA injury report statistics found that patients with pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure or a history of high cholesterol are much more likely to develop type-2 diabetes if they are taking Lipitor.

After facing mass legal and public pressure, Pfizer finally agreed to update Lipitor’s warning label in February 2012. The warning was updated to include that Lipitor may increase glucose levels in some patients, indicating changes in blood sugar. However, no specific indication of type-2 diabetes was mentioned, leaving many patients in the dark about the potential Lipitor side effect. 

Lipitor Litigation Movement

At this time, Board is just one of many patients alleging negligence by Pfizer. She is seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.

This Lipitor lawsuit is Gladys O. Board v. Pfizer Inc., Case No. 3:13-cv-00661-JJB-RLB, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.

File a Lipitor Lawsuit

If you believe that you or a loved one have been the victim of a Lipitor type-2 diabetes development, 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.