New Woman Files Chantix Suicide Lawsuit
By Michael Carlin
Theresa Hilburn started taking Chantix to control her smoking habit in July 2007. Hilburn is now suing Merck because she claims that she attempted suicide while taking Chantix. Hilburn alleges in the Chantix lawsuit that she was not given an adequate warning of the neurological implications of the drug.
Over 2,000 Chantix lawsuits have been filed in the Northern District of Alabama. The cases, like Hilburn’s, allege that Chantix caused severe mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and actions.
A 2011 study found that Chantix (Varenicline) was linked to suicidal behavior and depression more than any other nicotine replacement treatment. Although the Food and Drug Administration conducted a study on Chantix that showed it was not related to an increase in depression in 2007, the FDA later noted that its own study was flawed because the sample size was too low to contain the full range of Chantix side effect experiences.
On February 1, 2008, the FDA published an alert about Chantix’s association with psychiatric symptoms. The FDA also issued a black box warning for the drug’s mental health effects in July 1, 2009. In the 2009 warning the FDA noted that adverse Chantix mental health side effects continued for some patients even after they stopped taking the drug.
The FDA also issued a safety weaning in June 16, 2011 that Chantix may be linked to a small increase in cardiovascular events for people with cardiovascular disease. Later that year a group of Canadian scientists reported that the generic version of Chantix was increased the risk for serious cardiovascular events.
Other Chantix side effects such as blackouts and aggressive behavior prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to ban airplane pilots from using Chantix in 2008.
Pfizer continues to fight allegations that Chantix is not as safe as the company made it out to seem. Pfizer points out that reports to the FDA of Chantix side effects come from a range of sources and fail to provide important medical information regarding the circumstances of the alleged side effects. In May 2008 Pfizer updated its safety information on the drug to note that “some patients have reported changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions.”
Chantix works by stimulating nicotine receptors, but more weakly than nicotine, thus reducing the cravings and pleasurable effects of nicotine. The FDA first approved Chantix for use in 2006.
The new case is Hilburn et al v. Pfizer Inc. etc. al., case no. 2:2012cv03824.
If you or your loved one was harmed by taking Chantix you may be eligible to receive a settlement from a Chantix lawsuit. To learn more visit the Chantix Suicide, Heart Attack, Suicide Attempt & Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Investigation.
Updated December 18th, 2012
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