In a follow-up to a story that could have a major impact on denture cream lawsuit settlements against Procter & Gamble, a dentist and former P&G consultant who had undisclosed financial ties to the company when he offered a critical peer review of a denture cream study spoke to a leading health information source to clarify his role in the developing scandal.
Last week, ABC News reported that Dr. Kenneth Shay, a geriatric dentist at the Ann Arbor VA, delayed the publication of a study by University of Texas researchers that identified the zinc in denture cream as a source of neurological damage. He also violated a confidentiality agreement by sending an unpublished version of the report to P&G. In a statement provided to WebMD, the American Academy of Neurology stated that it considers any violation of ethics polices to be egregious misconduct. Furthermore, by offering a peer review of the UT study without revealing his financial relationship with P&G, Shay committed what one Columbia Medical School professor called, a fundamental transgression of professional medical ethics.
Shay, who recently spoke with WebMD, explained his criticism of the UT report, authored by Dr. Sharon Nations and colleagues at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, by saying that he believed there were fundamental flaws in the way that the researchers measured the zinc in denture cream. After suggesting revisions to the study authors, Shay says he forwarded the manuscript to P&G.
Shay told WebMD, To fact-check my revisions, I shared it with a colleague at P&G. I said, Dont share this around, but Im interested in if the following facts are true are not. There was no sense of Squash this, or anything. It was entirely my way of trying to make sure my review was accurate.
In a statement to ABC News, Procter & Gamble stated that it is committed to providing safe and effective products for all consumers. Fixodent is safe for use as directed, as supported by the experience of millions of consumers over many years.
At the heart of the debate surrounding whether P&G can be held liable for nerve damage suffered by Fixodent users are issues that include whether the company provided sufficient warning of the oral adhesives health risks, or if it provided clear indication of how much Fixodent to use. Denture cream lawsuits are still months away from commencement. An upcoming bellwether Fixodent trial is scheduled to begin in June.
Rulings in the first Fixodent trial might well influence the denture cream lawsuits pending against Procter & Gamble and GlaxoSmithKline, maker of Poligrip. Until then, the Rottenstein Law Group will continue to provide updates on this and other stories that are likely to affect
denture cream lawsuit settlement claims. And if you believe your neurological disease was caused by the zinc in Fixodent or Poligrip, dont hesitate to contact RLG to discuss your case. For more than 25 years, RLG has been helping injured consumers obtain the compensation they deserve from blameworthy companies and individuals.
