Nigeria Seeks US Defendants In Pfizer Trovan Trial
1 CommentBy Ed Silverman // November 3rd, 2008 // 2:48 pm
The latest delay in the criminal case is to acccommodate the federal government, which wants to serve paper on defendants in the US, Reuters reports. The criminal charges include over 20 counts covering alleged breaches of import, supply and registration regulations for the antibiotic and laws relating to a notorious clinical trial that took place in 1996.
The federal government and the northern state of Kano also filed civil cases against Pfizer, claiming $8.5 billion in damages over the trial, which took place during a meningitis epidemic that killed 12,000 children. Nigeria says Trovan caused the death of 11 children and left dozens with disabilities, and that Pfizer did not obtain proper regulatory approval for the trial and misled parents.
The drugmaker denies all charges and argues that meningitis, not Trovan, killed the children or damaged their health. Moreover, Pfizer says Trovan saved lives and was as effective as a more established drug used for comparison in the study. It is not clear which US defendants Nigeria is seeking, but just last week, Pfizer appeared to be on the verge of arranging an out-of-court settlement of the civil and criminal cases (back story).
Next week, meanwhile, a court will begin hearing a separate case brought by Pfizer seeking to overturn the government report that indicted the company over the drug trial.
jumai
It is so amusing how we easily & are ready to shift blames on others, how convenient.
During the Meningitis epidemic out-break in 1996, over 12,000 Children died & over 10,000 were said to be maimed within the space of 6 months. If this is true why then is the so much noise about Trovafloxacin. Trovan was tested on only 100 children, the other 100 children got the approved antibiotics, 11 is said to have died & 189 permanently deformed. The above goes further to prove that trovan is not responsibly for the 11 death & 189 maimed because those without experience greater causality.
Meningitis it self is a killer disease that can kill within the shortest span of time if not attended to, or deforms one permanently as it attacks the nerves, this make it dangerous & delicate.
Trovan has helped to save lives. Pfizer recorded 94.4% success rate, hence cannot be said to be the cause of the deaths & deformities as claimed.