The lawsuits (Cases 110517/08, 110518/08, 110519/08, 110520/08 and 110561/08) were filed in the Supreme Court of New York, New York County, and claim that each of the plaintiffs either committed or attempted suicide while suffering from neuropsychiatric side effects that resulted from taking Chantix.

Chantix has been prescribed to more than 6 million people worldwide since its launch in August 2006 and has been approved for use in more than 70 countries as a drug to assist adults who want to quit smoking. However, recent studies have shown that Chantix may cause serious adverse side effects, such as suicidal thoughts and erratic behavior.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an alert “to highlight important revisions to the warnings and precautions sections of the prescribing information for Chantix regarding serious neuropsychiatric symptoms.”

“We’ve been investigating claims regarding Chantix ever since the FDA’s initial communications about reported side effects, so our firm was well-prepared to vigorously represent our clients when we were contacted by their families,” said Grossman. “For those familiar with this year’s Tony Award-winning play, ‘August: Osage County,’ which has sparked debate about the risks of suicide and dysfunction stemming from prescription drug use, the fact that we are filing these actions on the eve of August 1st is a tragic illustration of life imitating art.”

The filing of the Chantix lawsuits continues an extremely active year for Sanders Viener Grossman, in which the firm has secured a series of large settlements on behalf of its clients. The firm recently recovered large settlements for approximately 300 plaintiffs involved in the Vioxx-related litigation with Merck & Co. Last month, Sanders Viener Grossman recovered $8 million in damages for its clients over a span of just eight days, including a $5 million recovery in a product liability case.

According to Grossman, the firm has extensive experience with defective drug litigation and can provide Chantix victims with free consultations and case reviews to make sure their legal rights are protected.

For more information about Sanders Viener Grossman LLP, please visit www.thesandersfirm.com or call 1.800.FAIRPLAY.

Author Information

Marc Grossman
Sanders Viener Grossman LLP

According to the Journal article:

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices said 1,001 serious incidents involving Chantix users were reported in the first quarter of this year, based on its analysis of government safety data. That is more than the total number of serious incidents for the top 10 most-prescribed brand-name drugs combined.

Chantix already has been linked to serious psychiatric side effects such as depression and suicidal behavior. In 2007 Pfizer strengthened the warning label. The company has said that nicotine withdrawal itself “can cause changes in behavior, such as irritability and depressed mood.”

This Spring, the FDA issued a warning guide for doctors perscribing Chantix.

Chantix, which had $883 million in total 2007 sales, has experienced a steep decline. Its third-quarter sales in the U.S. fell 49% from last year’s third quarter, dropping to $96 million from $186 million. This summer, Pfizer took out full-page ads in major newspapers defending the drug and noting the severe risks to health from smoking.