GlaxoSmithKline, a world-leading pharmaceutical maker that could eventually be made to pay billions of dollars in
Poligrip lawsuit settlements, agreed less than four months ago to resolve federal charges that it manufactured and distributed improperly made drugsby paying $750 million.
A long-running federal probe into GSKs former manufacturing plant in Cidra, Puerto Rico resulted in allegations that the company engaged in a number of defective manufacturing processes, including mislabeling medication, putting medications in the wrong packages, and making drugs that were too weak or too strong. Among the medications affected by the improper manufacturing were the anti-depressant Paxil CR, the diabetes drug Avandamet, Bactroban, a topical ointment used for treating skin infections, and Kytril, an anti-nausea medication.
According to the Justice Department, GSK failed to ensure the drugs at the Cidra plant were manufactured properly, resulting in their being ineffective. Carmen Ortiz, the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, says GSK received warning letters from the FDA but ignored them. The $750 million settlement paid by GSK includes a $150 million criminal fine and $600 million to the federal government and the states to resolve false health care claims allegedly caused by the British drugmaker. Around $96 million of the federal portion of the settlement went to Cheryl Eckard, a former manager of quality assurance for GSK who became a whistleblower after the company fired her.
PD Villarreal, GSKs head of global litigation, said in a statement that, GSK worked hard to resolve fully the manufacturing issues at the Cidra facility prior to its closure in 2009 and we are committed to continuous improvement in our manufacturing processes. Villarreal indicates that the Cidra plant was closed to do a decrease in the demand for the pharmaceuticals made there.
Following the $750 million settlement, the fourth-largest amount ever paid by a drug company for the resolution of a government probe, things arent exactly looking up for GSK in 2011. An upcoming denture cream lawsuit in June should provide some insight as to how the numerous claims against the company, which accuse it of failing to warn the public about the dangers of zinc in Poligrip, play out. Many in the legal community expect denture cream settlements to reach millions, even billions, of dollars nationwide.
Even though GSK announced last year it would no longer manufacture denture cream with zinc, it previously formulated Poligrip with the mineral, which a 2008 University of Texas study showed can cause neurological damage in patients who use large amounts of denture cream. The charges against GSK stem from the fact that the manufacturer never listed zinc as a product ingredient or provided instructions for safe denture cream use.
It is not too late for you to file a Poligrip lawsuit against GSK, but you need to act fast, as there is limited time to take legal action. The Rottenstein Law Group, a firm with extensive experience in product liability law, is currently evaluating claims on behalf of denture cream users who developed nerve damage from the adhesive. You can count on RLG to protect your rights and work tirelessly to make sure you receive the financial compensation you are entitled to for your injuries.
