Nigeria seeks $6.95 bn in new suit against Pfizer-gctid24385

[alvasakima]

June 05, 2007, 06:15

Nigeria filed new charges against Pfizer Inc. yesterday, seeking $6.95 billion in damages over the deaths of children who received an unapproved drug during a meningitis epidemic.

The suit came after a separate court delayed until July two cases in which Pfizer is accused by the northern state of Kano of harming Nigerian children by testing them with the antibiotic Trovan in 1996. Although the Kano state government case has been running for more than two years, Monday was the first time the federal government filed its own charges.

Nigeria alleged in papers filed at a Federal High Court in the capital Abuja that Pfizer, the world's biggest drugmaker, did not obtain approval from the relevant regulatory agencies and acted unethically when it tested the antibiotic in Kano.

"The plaintiff contends that the defendant never obtained approval of the relevant regulatory agencies ..., nor did the defendant seek or receive approval to conduct any clinical trial at any time before their illegal conduct," Nigeria said in court papers.

After taking preliminary arguments from counsels to both parties, Justice Babs Kuewumi adjourned the case to June 26 for further hearing. Pfizer denies the allegations.

Bryant Haskins, a Pfizer spokesperson in New York, reiterated comments the company had already made, that its clinical trial of Trovan was conducted with the full knowledge of the Nigerian government and in a responsible and ethical way.

"These allegations against Pfizer, which are not new, are highly inflammatory and not based on all the facts," he said.

"We continue to maintain, in the strongest terms, that the Nigerian government was fully informed in advance of the clinical trial; that the trial was conducted appropriately, ethically and with the best interests of patients in mind; and that it helped save lives."

Kano state government has filed criminal charges and a civil lawsuit seeking $2.075 billion in damages from Pfizer over the tests which it alleges caused the deaths of some children and permanent health problems for others. - Reuters

[Ɔbenfo Ọbádélé]

Interesting article..it is going in my evidence files.

Obadele