According to the CDC, an estimated 30.8 million adults currently smoke cigarettes in the United States. More than 16 million Americans report living with smoking-related illnesses such as cancer, lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, and more. However, smoking is an extremely challenging habit to kick. Smokers try avoiding triggers, chewing gum, nicotine patches, and physical activity to stop smoking. Many adults have taken the drug Chantix to help them quit smoking. However, people have reported developing severe health complications after taking Chantix. Did you take Chantix and suffer adverse health effects? Reach out today to learn more about how a Chantix lawsuit can benefit you.
Our law firm is currently handling lawsuits on behalf of individuals harmed by the anti-smoking drug Chantix. Lawsuits allege that Chantix causes cancer, cardiovascular problems, and other health issues in patients.
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation Pfizer designed Chantix to wean people off of cigarettes. The FDA approved Chantix in 2006 to aid smoking cessation treatment for adults. Chantix works differently from nicotine replacement therapy since it does not contain nicotine. In fact, Chantix proved more effective than nicotine replacement therapy in clinical studies. Nicotine replacement therapy involves gum, patches, sprays, inhalers, or lozenges that provide nicotine but not the other chemicals in tobacco.
Chantix is a pill that works by blocking certain receptors in the brain. By preventing the pleasurable effects of nicotine in the brain, smokers will not experience the same satisfaction when they smoke. Additionally, Chantix emits small amounts of dopamine to curb the cravings of smokers. This drug requires a doctor’s prescription and is not for individuals under 18.
In 2007, the FDA began issuing safety communications regarding the neuropsychiatric effects of Chantix. The agency decided to send out these advisories because it had received reports from patients concerning suicidal thoughts and erratic behavior. Following growing complaints of suicide, suicide ideation, and other psychiatric effects, the FDA required a black box warning on Chantix in 2009. However, despite various consumer reports regarding the drug’s neuropsychiatric effects, the FDA removed the black box warning in 2016.
In 2011, the FDA sent out safety warnings after a clinical study showed that Chantix may increase a patient’s risk of cardiovascular problems. The study reviewed 700 patients and discovered that Chantix patients experienced cardiovascular events at a higher rate than placebo patients. However, the FDA still considers the benefits of Chantix to outweigh the cardiovascular risks.
In September 2021, Pfizer voluntarily recalled all lots of Chantix 0.5 mg and 1 mg tablets. The company issued the recall after it detected unsafe levels of N-nitroso-varenicline. N-nitroso-varenicline is a type of chemical compound known as nitrosamine. Nitrosamines are common in water and foods, but prolonged exposure at high levels may cause cancer. Despite the recall, Pfizer believes that the positive effects of Chantix outweigh the potential cancer risks.
A motion to transfer Chantix nitrosamine lawsuits to multidistrict litigation filed by Monmouth, New Jersey, stated that Health Canada informed Pfizer of nitrosamine contamination of Chantix as early as October 2020. However, Pfizer waited til June 2021 to issue a limited recall of a few lots of Chantix. Finally, in September 2021, Pfizer announced a product-wide recall of Chantix due to the presence of high levels of N-nitroso-varenicline. This recall came nearly a year after Health Canada initially notified Pfizer about the contamination. Also, the motion specified that the FDA’s own testing of Chantix identified alarming N-nitroso-varenicline levels between 155-474 ppm.
Sadly, tobacco use is still the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., accounting for about 1 in 5 deaths each year. Pfizer created Chantix with the intent to help people stop smoking. While people took Chantix to improve their health, patients have reported experiencing:
The decision to quit smoking is tremendously difficult. Even more arduous is following through with abstaining from cigarettes. People quit cigarettes to improve their health and their chances of a longer life. However, lawsuits allege that many have developed severe adverse health complications or died because of Chantix. Speak with an attorney at The Lake Law Firm today to discuss how a Chantix lawsuit may help you recover compensation for your injuries.
In 2009, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) consolidated dozens of federal lawsuits against Pfizer into MDL-2092. These lawsuits allege that Pfizer failed to warn patients about the neurological effects of Chantix. Plaintiffs argued that Pfizer did not adequately test the drugs, and users suffered harm or even death due to the drug’s psychiatric effects. In 2013, Pfizer agreed to settle roughly 80% of the 2,700 federal and state lawsuits for $273 million.
Multidistrict litigation (MDL) is a legal process in which multiple lawsuits with similar issues are consolidated into a single federal court before one judge. Courts use MDL to efficiently manage and streamline complex cases to save time and resources.
In August 2022, the JPML received a motion to centralize Chantix cancer lawsuits. The motion noted that there were eight lawsuits filed that raise common questions of fact, primarily whether Pfizer’s Chantix drug products were adulterated or defective in that they contain the presence of n-nitroso-varenicline, a human carcinogen. Although Pfizer argued against the consolidation of Chantix cancer lawsuits, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation decided an MDL was appropriate for Chantix lawsuits.
An MDL for Chantix lawsuits was launched in December 2022. Cases were sent to the Southern District of New York, with Judge Katherine Polk Failla overseeing the MDL. As of September 2023, 17 Chantix lawsuits have been filed in the MDL.
If the anti-smoking drug Chantix harmed you, you may qualify for a Chantix lawsuit that may help you recover compensation for:
Chantix has faced various impediments since its approval in 2006. Black box warnings, consumer reports, lawsuits, and a recall point to the drug’s potential health risks. Pfizer stands by Chantix, as the company believes that the possible health complications are not enough to negate the health benefits for smokers who quit.
Smoking may indeed cause cancer and heart disease, but many have reported similar health threats associated with Chantix. For years, people took Chantix with no knowledge of the cardiovascular risks, carcinogenic properties, or psychiatric effects of Chantix. Our attorneys are on standby to speak with you about your potential Chantix lawsuit.
The Lake Law Firm was founded by Edward J. Lake, Esq., a personal injury lawyer for over 25 years. Our dedicated team of attorneys is committed to seeking justice on behalf of those who have suffered injury or death due to the negligence of others. Our experienced attorneys handle many different types of pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, and other defective products. The lawyers in our firm have helped collect millions of dollars for their clients. The Lake Law Firm will advocate for you and your rights. Please contact us for a free confidential case evaluation at (888) 525-3529 or submit an inquiry on this page.
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