Baum Hedlund Files Class Action against Pfizer/ZOLOFT

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July 23, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

 

Baum Hedlund, A Professional Corporation

12100 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 950

Los Angeles, CA 90025

Contact: Robin McCall, Media Relations

Day: (800) 827-0087 or (310) 207-3233

Evening and Weekend (818) 681-5697

Email: RMcCall

Web: www.baumhedlundlaw.com

 

 

Pfizer Conceals Evidence and Misleads Doctors and Patients About

Safety and Effectiveness of Zoloft

 

- Private Attorney General Steps in Because FDA Has Failed

California Consumers

 

Los Angeles, California, July 23, 2004 -- Antidepressant litigation

attorney Karen Barth Menzies and her partner, Ronald Goldman, filed suit

today alleging Zoloft-maker, Pfizer, misled physicians and the public

regarding Zoloft's safety and efficacy, particularly with regard to

suicidality and withdrawal symptoms caused by the drug's use.

 

Today's consumer protection lawsuit was filed in Superior Court in

downtown Los Angeles (case number BC318871). The suit details Pfizer's

actions and omissions that downplayed Zoloft's risks and exaggerate

Zoloft's alleged benefits. Pfizer did so, the complaint alleges, by

suppressing evidence concerning: (1) Zoloft's lack of efficacy compared

to placebos in treating conditions for which Zoloft is prescribed;

(2)Zoloft's propensity to induce withdrawal and dependency; (3) the risk

of increased suicidal and violent impulses in adult, child and adolescent

Zoloft users; and (4) Zoloft's causing other side effects such as

convulsions and psychosis.

 

The Plaintiff, Roberta Madison, is a nurse and doctor of Public Health.

She has brought the action as a Private Attorney General on behalf of all

California residents who have been misled about Zoloft. Last month, New

York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of

all " aggrieved consumers " in the state of New York related to the drug

Paxil. California's Unfair Competition Law provides that a private

citizen may act as Attorney General on behalf of consumers.

 

Baum Hedlund is a national law firm representing thousands of

anti-depressant victims. Through its investigations on behalf of clients

that suffered unwarned adverse side effects while using Zoloft, Baum

Hedlund has obtained information supporting the complaint's allegations.

 

Karen Barth Menzies of Los Angeles based Baum Hedlund, stated:

 

" We are looking forward to working with Dr. Madison in this case to

expose the fraud that has been perpetrated against the public by Pfizer.

Pfizer has promoted the benefits as huge and the risks as minimal in an

extremely deceptive way.

 

" We have been trying for years to raise public awareness about these

issues. We believe that the truth has been suppressed for too long and as

a result there has been an enormous waste of money, thousands

of people have been harmed by these drugs and many lives have been

shattered. We hope this lawsuit will be a significant step toward

exposing the fraud.

 

" Once all the evidence comes out it will become clear that Pfizer was

well aware of Zoloft's safety and efficacy issues for many years. Despite

this knowledge, Pfizer has continued to market Zoloft as " highly

effective, " when only one out of five or Pfizer's own clinical trials for

Zoloft's license application indicated superiority over placebos. We

believe that the evidence will prove that the risks of Zoloft far

outweigh any alleged benefits. Because of Pfizer's marketing practices

and concealment of the truth,

California healthcare providers have not been able to conduct accurate

risk/benefit analyses when prescribing Zoloft. Additionally, we have seen

many doctors who were unaware of Zoloft's serious side

effects and consequently mis-diagnosed them. Where the public health is

at stake, there is no room for secrecy and deception. "

 

Robin McCall

Public Relations

Baum Hedlund

RMcCall

310-207-3233

info

 

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