Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) announced today that the jury in the case of Jennie Nelson v. Wyeth, in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, found in favor of the plaintiffs and awarded damages of $3 million. Wyeth plans to appeal.
“We respectfully disagree that there is any scientific basis to support the jury’s finding of a causal link between Wyeth’s hormone therapies and the plaintiff’s breast cancer,” says Barbara R. Binis, a partner with Reed Smith LLP, a firm representing Wyeth in the case. “Further, the evidence established that Wyeth acted responsibly by performing and supporting studies that examined the known and potential benefits and risks of hormone therapy and by keeping the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), physicians and patients informed of those benefits and risks.”
The FDA noted in 1995 that hormone therapies are the most extensively researched medicines in the United States. In addition, since Prempro was first made available to consumers in 1995, the Prempro label has included an FDA-approved warning that the use of Prempro may be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
The trial began on January 11, 2007 before The Honorable Ricardo Jackson.
Prempro (conjugated estrogens/medroxyprogesterone acetate tablets) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as safe and effective when used as indicated.