Chantix, a drug used to help people quit smoking, has always been known to cause harmful side effects like aggressive behavior, suicide, seizures and even blackouts, but it is also known to cause Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). The problem with this is that the drug’s label hasn’t been updated to express that danger.
Within a time frame of a little over a year, from May 2006 to December 2007, there were 338 reports of various skin problems associated with the drug, including SJS. While Health Canada has updated its labels to include the SJS warning for the Canadian version of Chantix, which they call Champix, the FDA has not urged an update on the American labels. This will certainly clear the way for many lawsuits to be filed against the drug’s maker, Pfizer.
Right now, there are over 1,200 federal lawsuits against Chantix that have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation (MDL). MDL is similar to a class action. All of the lawsuits were filed against Pfizer and have been relegated to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. It is here that the cases will start the pretrial proceedings.
Each of the plaintiffs in these lawsuits could win millions in settlements against the drug manufacturer for a couple of really good reasons. First of all, the company never tested the drugs properly before putting Chantix on the market. Secondly, it didn’t properly warn people of the risk of Stevens Johnson syndrome, despite patient reports. With Canada warning the public about the risk, that only strengthens the plaintiffs’ claims.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with SJS after taking Chantix, contact SJS attorney Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I am experienced in fighting SJS lawsuits and will fight hard to get you every dime that you may be entitled to.