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Pfizer’s Lipitor Faces Colluding Charges in Australia

| Feb 24, 2014 | Drug and Medical Device Litigation, Lipitor

Amid the growing lawsuits and controversy that Pfizer’s Lipitor causes type-2 diabetes in female patients between the ages of 50 and 79 with BMI (Body Mass Index) below 30, (See California coordinated Lipitor cases in Los Angeles Superior Court JCCP no. 4761; In re Lipitor (Atorvastatin) Litigation, MDL No. 2502 (JPML)), Pfizer faces more legal difficulties in Australia.

Australia’s antitrust watchdog sued Pfizer, saying the big pharma company abused its position in the market to fend off Lipitor competition.  According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Pfizer offered discounts and rebates to pharmacies for Lipitor.  In exchange, the pharmacies would limit their purchasing of generic drugs similar to the statin.

ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said regarding the lawsuit, “Pfizer engaged in this conduct for the purpose of deterring or preventing competitors in the market for atorvastatin from engaging in competitive conduct.”

Click here to read the full FiercePharma article: Antitrust Watchdogs Come Down on Pfizer for Lipitor Dealmaking

This is not the first time that Pfizer has been accused of trying to eliminate the competition.  California pharmacies sued Pfizer and Ranbaxy Laboratories, accusing the companies of colluding to keep Lipitor copies off U.S. pharmacy shelves, in return for earlier launches in foreign markets.  Pfizer is no stranger to litigation over its products as well.  In September 2009, Pfizer pleaded guilty to the illegal marketing of the arthritis drug Bextra for uses unapproved by the U.S.FDA and agreed to a $2.3 billion settlement, the largest health care fraud settlement at that time.  This was Pfizer’s fourth such settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in the previous ten years.  It also has been involved in litigation with Blue Cross Blue Shield over allegedly illegally marketing their drugs Bextra, Geodon and Lyricamis and allegations regarding the Bjork-Shiley heart valves.

We are currently investigating these cases for a number of women and have filed suit in California on their behalf against Pfizer and its distributor.  The cases filed in California have been assigned to the Hon Jane L. Johnson in Los Angeles Superior Court JCCP No. 4761.

The Brandi Law Firm is nationally recognized for its long involvement in cases involving defects in drugs or devices.  If you or a loved one have taken Lipitor and been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, based on medical studies, there is a potential claim against the manufacturer.  If you would like more information, please contact the Brandi Law Firm by e-mail or call 415-989-1800 or (800) 481-1615

Trademark Notice

Lipitor is a registered trademark of Pfizer Inc.  The use of this trademark is solely for product identification and informational purposes.  Pfizer Inc. is not affiliated with this website, and Pfizer Inc. has no affiliation with the Brandi Law Firm.  Nothing on this site has been authorized or approved by Pfizer Inc.

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