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Fen-Phen Legal Issues
 Fen-phen
cases involving pondimin and redux are currently
in the second round of litigation. After the popular
weight loss drugs were pulled from the market
on September 15, 1997 class actions and individual
suits proceeded after medical reports linked the
drugs to serious forms of valvular heart disease.
The first fen-phen trial started in March of 1999
and ended in a $23 million dollar verdict favoring
the Texas woman with valvular heart disease. A
$4 billion dollar settlement was agreed between
American Home Products (AHP) and lawyers for a
class action settlement, specifying ways that
class members could opt out or exercise their
settlement created right for monetary compensation.
AHP owned rights to market and to sell both diet
drugs, pondimin and redux. Because they knew about
the research and the Adverse Drug Experience reports
done on fen-phen, they are liable for the serious
conditions the drugs caused. Allegations against
AHP include their continuation to manufacture
and sell, as well as to continue marketing fen-phen
while choosing to give proper warning for the
adverse effects both drugs can cause. The corporation
did not pull fen-phen from the market until the
FDA began their official investigation of the
correlation between fen-phen and valve disease,
something AHP already knew about.
The initial opt-out period before March 31, 2000
had less than fifty thousand claimants fill out
paperwork. The majority of cases did not opt out
by March 30, 2000, and it is these people that
make up Round Two of the fen-phen litigations.
There is a brief window where claimants can register
with the Settlement Trust and request and then
either request benefits or opt-out and return
to the civil litigation system. An individual
must meet certain medical parameters within the
next year and file specified documents with the
American Home Products Settlement Trust shortly
after that in order to receive any type of substantial
benefits from the Class Action.
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Notable
Quotes
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“I
felt from the very beginning the drug companies
were covering up. I felt from the very beginning
that these drugs were dangerous.”
-Dr. Leo Lutwak, FDA’s key reviewer
of fen-phen
“Being
part of my kids’ lives and doing their
everyday activities is a struggle. But I
just take one day at a time and do the best
I can.”
-Patricia Buol, suffers severe heart
problems after taking fen-phen
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Initially, the first round of fen-phen litigation
ended with American Home Products having a 0 for
4 record in the courtroom, yet they claim they
are going to continue to litigate their cases
aggressively. Millions of people have been affected
by the prescription drugs pondimin and redux,
yet just a small percentage of those individuals
have taken legal action. Since there is a small
window of time set by the Class Action Settlement
the many affected fen-phen individuals should
not delay finding legal representation.
Our expert fen-phen attorneys can help you receive
the proper compensation deserved to any individual
who has suffered or is still suffering from the
serious health
complications fen-phen causes. Individuals
involved in the Class Action may have experienced
more severe health complications after joining
the Class Action that they will not be qualified
for. We have provided a contact
form for those wishing to inquire.
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