Zyprexa settlement reached for state claim
Three weeks into a trial in Alaska over the state’s claim to recoup medical bills paid on behalf of individuals who developed diabetes while taking Zyprexa, the lawsuit has settled. Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Zyprexa has agreed to pay $15 million to the state instead of letting the jury decide the case. However, they may need to pay billions of dollars more to settle Zyprexa lawsuits brought by bigger states, and they still may face additional lawsuits from individuals who developed diabetes as a side effect of Zyprexa.
>>INFORMATION: Zyprexa side effects
Zyprexa is an antipsychotic medication which is approved for treatment of hallucinations and delusions caused by schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Since the drug was approved in 1996, it has been taken by more than 23 million people and currently generates sales of about $4.8 billion a year.
Eli Lilly failed to warn about a risk of serious Zyprexa side effects, including severe weight gain, blood sugar changes, cholesterol problems and an increased risk of diabetes. According to evidence uncovered during the Zyprexa litigation, Eli Lilly actively attempted to minimize the risk of diabetes to doctors and encouraged doctors to prescribe Zyprexa for unapproved uses, which had not been deemed safe and effective by the FDA. The pharmaceutical company placed profits ahead of patient safety by providing false and misleading information to doctors due to their concerns that their sales would be hurt by the Zyprexa and diabetes link.
The Alaska state Zyprexa lawsuit is the first such case to go to trial, and with only 670,000 residents, the $15 million Zyprexa settlement is a large payment. Other states have also sued Lilly to recover money paid for medical bills generated by state Medicaid participants as a result of diabetes caused by Zyprexa. Lilly has already agreed to pay a $1.2 billion Zyprexa settlement for 30,000 individual lawsuits filed by users of the drug, and additional cases may still be brought by other individuals.
ZYPREXA AND SEROQUEL LAWYERS
Users of Seroquel, another antipyschotic drug in the same class of medications as Zyprexa, have also faced an increased risk of diabetes, and Seroquel lawsuits are pending throughout the United States for individuals who developed diabetes after taking the drug. The first Seroquel trials are scheduled to begin towards the end of this year, and it is unclear whether the Zyprexa settlements will have any impact on the chances of a Seroquel settlement.
The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent individuals who are pursuing Zyprexa and Seroquel lawsuits as a result of diabetes and other medical problems caused by side effects of the medications. If you, a friend or family member developed diabetes after taking one of these drugs, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
3 Comments • Add Your Comments
TIM says:
PURE DEADLY POSION…..THIS DRUG HAS RUINED MY LIFE…….
Posted on February 18, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Emil says:
IN, 2002 TO 2003 I WAS PRESCRIBED SEROQUEL FOR CHRONIC INSOMNIA, DUE TO SLEEPING PILLS BEING ADDITIVE. I STARTED WITH 1200MG AT NIGHT, I HAD COMPLAINED TO DOCTOR OF REALLY SWEATING PROFUSELY IN WINTER, THE FAST WEIGHT GAIN, GROGGINESS, MEMORY LOSS, FORGETTING, THEN I HAD A HEART ATTACK IN MY SLEEP, COULD NOT WALK VERY MUCH OR STAND UP VERY LONG, 80LB WEIGHT GAIN & HIGH BLOOD SUGAR & BP BUT NOT DIABETIC, I STOPPED USE GRADUALLY SEROQUEL WITH A NEW DOCTOR. NOW I AM WAY OVERWEIGHT, HAVE A MOTOR-CHAIR & I AM NOT A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE LAWSUIT I SEE DAILY ON TV BY A FEW LAWYERS, I EXIST & MISS THE ACTIVE LIFE I HAD, I DO NOT CALL THIS LIFE, I CALL IT A LIFE SENTENCE OF PAIN & SUFFERING FOR A 55 YO. MAN THAT READ AFTER: ‘ SEROQUEL MFG. KNEW OF RISKS IN THE 1990s BUT GOT AN OK ANYWAY FROM THE FDA & MADE 20-30 BILLION DOLLARS IN ITS FIRST YEARS ON THE MARKET, I DEMAND JUSTICE, WEATHER IT IS ME OR MY DOG, IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR ANYONE TO SUFFER THE SEVERE ADVERSE REACTIONS THAT APPLY. WE ARE INDIVIDUALS, THIS DRUG DOES NOT WORK THE SAME ON EVERYONE, I AM ONE OF THEM WHO KNOWS….
Posted on October 5, 2009 at 5:46 am
jacqueline says:
I am a 45 year old female who was given zyprexa about 5 years ago and had no previous health problems and I took the zyprexa for almost the whole 5 years and then was replaced with syraquill but at the time of being put on zyprxa for my mental disabilitys I developed insomnia my dr would add 150mg of trazadone to try and better my sleep but that didn’t work so then another dr.put me on the syraquill and ambien 5mg still cant sleep if im lucky I might sleep an hour of a 8 to 12 hour sleep period.i also didn’t have hypertension or chronic kidney issues either till after being on the zyprexa and have been treated for kidney infections since being put on the syraquill as well and now I am suppose to have a nuclear stress test done to see if I have damage of my heart and as I said before being prescribed these meds I was healthy and could work any day all day now im not sure what I can or cant do until the nuclear stress test is done and I have medical bills that I cant pay and cant get a job due to being a liability so if there is a lawyer who can help me with any comensation at all please contact me im currently still takeing syraquil but I am going to stop takeing it as well because I know my body and my health and this is really scareing me cause I know that before takeing these meds I was fine was sleeping at night all night
Posted on December 2, 2014 at 12:00 pm