BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge in Birmingham is overseeing at least
1,200 lawsuits involving Pfizer and its stop-smoking drug Chantix.
Many of the lawsuits from smokers and their families claim the drug left them
with a variety of psychological problems, including anxiety, aggressiveness and
suicidal thoughts. The lead plaintiffs’ attorney, Ernest Cory of Birmingham,
says there are still about 1,000 lawsuits to be filed. He says it’s a
complicated case and doubts there will be a trial before 2012.
A spokeswoman for Pfizer, Victoria Davis, says the company acted responsibly
and appropriately in the development of the stop-smoking drug. She says there is
no reliable scientific evidence backing up the claims made in the lawsuits.
The lawsuits were reported Tuesday by The Birmingham News.
