Fen Phen Lawsuit and Side
Effect Information

Fen Phen lawsuits continued to be filed even after the drug was taken off the market in 1997. A lawsuit for Primary Pulmonary Hypertension or neurological damage must be filed individually. The Fen Phen lawsuit for valvular heart disease is partially settled.

Fen Phen Overview

Fen Phen was a combination diet drug cocktail of Fenfluramine (Pondimin)/Dexfenfluramine (Redux) and Phentermine, which is how it got its name. These drugs should never have been combined, doctors prescribed them in combination for obese patients. There were close to 18 million prescriptions written for it in 1996.

Taken for a limited period of time, ideally less than three weeks, the drug was said to have no worrisome side effects. Unfortunately doctors were prescribing it off label for up to a year and longer. Patients could get Fen Phen on the Internet, and Jenny Craig and Nutri-System had weight loss programs where doctors prescribed the drugs.

Things hit the fan in 1997 and the two drugs were voluntarily withdrawn from the market. Phentermine (a mild stimulant) was not withdrawn. To get an idea of the numbers of people potentially involved in a Fen Phen lawsuit, take a look at these numbers from the Archives of Internal Medicine: Between 1992 to 1997 new scripts for Fen Phen jumped 442% for phentermine, and 6390% percent for fenfluramine.

Dexfenfluramine (approved 1996) and Fenfluramine (appetite suppressant, approved 1973), were both made by Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories. Phentermine is classified as a generic drug and is made by numerous manufacturers.

Fen Phen Side Effects & Related Legal Problems

The first noted problem with Fen Phen side effects was that patients taking it started turning in abnormal echocardiograms (tests heart valves) without any other noticeable symptoms. The number sat at about 30 percent, extremely high for a test group. The FDA at first insisted Wyeth properly label their products to reflect these serious side effects.

There were close to a hundred reports of a rare valvular disease in women taking the drug combo, and in women taking just one drug or the other by itself. Lesions formed on heart valves causing blood to flow backwards (regurgitation). The FDA recommended people stop taking the drugs and asked Wyeth to withdraw them from the market.

Despite the fact that these drugs have been off the market since 1997, the FDA still gets reports of valvular disease (and other Fen Phen side effects) from patients. In some cases, it's taken 11 years for valvular disease, primary pulmonary hypertension and neurological damage to manifest. Lawyers are still working hard today to assist clients with numerous Fen Phen lawsuits.

These two drugs worked with the serotonin levels in the brain to help dampen the appetite. When mixed with the phentermine (approved 1959) the results were something akin to the Eveready Bunny of the diet world. The FDA individually approved both drugs for use, but didn't give the nod to the Fen Phen combination. Doctors thought it was safe...it wasn't.

Over six million people used these drugs for losing weight in some combination or another. The unseen and silent Fen Phen side effects still cropping up now attest to how dangerous these drugs were. Studies have also been conducted since the drug's exit off the market, and a link has been established between taking these drugs and primary pulmonary hypertension.

Three major side effects are caused by use of Fen Phen - valvular heart damage, primary pulmonary hypertension and neuropsychological damage. Some heart damage cases have been settled. The hypertension and neuropsychological Fen Phen lawsuits must be filed individually.

Symptoms of primary pulmonary hypertension include narrowing of the blood vessels in the lungs, fainting, weakness, dizziness, fatigue, swollen ankles, chest pain and high blood pressure.

The neuropsychological damage manifests itself in the form of depression, memory loss, changes in behavior, mood swings and psychotic breakdowns.

These debilitating, and in some instances life-threatening, Fen Phen side effects weren't discovered earlier because the valve disease is a highly unusual drug reaction. No one thought to look for it. They only found out about it after the damage had been done.

Lawsuits of note against Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals have been and are for:

* Duramed Pharmaceuticals - antitrust lawsuit Premarin
* Enbrel/Etanercept - relieves joint swelling with rheumatoid arthritis, possibly caused over 1,000 deaths in 8 years
* Prempro - class action lawsuit for hormone replacement therapy
* Duract - short-term pain reliever
* Norplant - implantable contraceptive
* Premarin - class action lawsuit for hormone replacement therapy
* Thimerosal - a preservative containing mercury
* PPA/phenylpropanolamine - hemorrhagic stoke, cough and cold medicines and OTC weight loss products
* Generic Effexor XR (depression, anti-anxiety, patent infringement)
* Prevnar (pediatric meningitis, manufacturing improprieties)
* Protonix/Pantoprazole (acid reflux, patent infringement)
* Phenergan (allergies, pediatric complications)

Current Status of Fen Phen Lawsuits

For the most part, the heart valve damage class action lawsuits have been settled, but some are still working their way through the courts. Separate lawsuits need to be filed for the other two Fen Phen side effects. Wyeth has supposedly set aside approximately $21 billion to cover the costs and damages of Fen Phen lawsuits.

If you have been harmed by Fen Phen side effects, contact a highly trained drug lawyer to ask about filing a Fen Phen lawsuit. You may be able to recieve compensation for damages this drug has caused to your health.




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