Drug manufacturer Pfizer has announced its intention to settle lawsuits against the pharmaceutical company for its drugs Bextra and Celebrex. The amount of the settlement is $894 million with $745 million set aside to settle the personal injury lawsuits claiming that Bextra and Celebrex users suffered heart attacks or strokes as a result of using the painkiller drugs.
According to the Wall St. Journal, “Attorneys General in 33 states and the District of Columbia, who have filed suits relating to Pfizer’s promotion of Bextra, will receive $60 million of the settlement; the remainder, $89 million, will resolve class actions alleging fraud in connection with the promotion of Celebrex and Bextra.”
The settlement annoucement comes a year after Merck agreed to settle its Vioxx lawsuits. All three drugs are considered Cox-2 inhibitors which became popular for their painkilling ability as well as their gentleness on the stomach. However, the drugs have been linked to an increase in heart attacks and strokes and controversy remains concerning their overall painkilling effectiveness.