Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuit News

Novartis/Tasigna Lawsuit May Seek Punitive Damages

Novartis may have withheld its knowledge that Tasigna causes atherosclerosis from the FDA when seeking the drugs initial approval

Friday, August 17, 2018 - A product liability case against Novartis AG may proceed to court, however, a ruling that the defendant may not pursue punitive damages is being challenged. Under New Jersey law, the state where Novartis is headquartered, a plaintiff may not be awarded punitive damages when a drug has previously received the FDA's approval... unless the product manufacturer knowingly withheld or misrepresented material information required to be submitted to the FDA.

The McWilliams lawsuit intends to show that Novartis withheld the fact that it was aware of the atherosclerosis risks posed by its anti-cancer chemotherapy drug Tasigna, and kept such knowledge from the FDA when the company applied for Tasigna's approval back in 2010. Reports by clinical scientists to the National Institute of Health (NIH) state the results of a study of 81 Tasigna patients as "new electrocardiographic abnormalities were recorded in 20% of all patients and some of them developed severe or even life-threatening coronary artery disease." (1)

It is the plaintiff's contention that Novartis willfully withheld this information from the FDA and thus New Jersey's law pre-empting punitive damages does not apply. The plaintiff also alleges that Novartis failed to adequately warn him and others of Tasigna's atherosclerosis side effect.

Atherosclerosis causes an irritation of the inner walls of the major arteries leading to the extremities, heart, and brain. The smooth inner lining of the major arteries is critical for allowing sufficient blood flow. Roughening of the inner arterial wall causes plaque to stick and rapidly accumulate. When a chunk of plaque breaks off it can become clogged in the smaller veins and cause a blockage leading to a stroke or a heart attack. The plaintiff claims such a clot caused Dennis McWilliams stroke.

Novartis Checkered Legal History

Since its introduction to replace Gleevec in 2007 anti-cancer chemotherapy drug Tasigna has become the market leader. By 2016 Novartis, maker of Tasigna earned close to $2 billion from sales of the drug. Novartis, however, is accused of putting company profits ahead of concern for public health more specifically, at the expense of cancer patients who were denied the right to make an informed decision as to which cancer drug to choose. Tasigna merely replaced Gleevec another Novartis bestseller, whose patent was set to expire. A one billion dollar department of justice fine alleged: "Specialty pharmacists were paid under the table bribes to refill Gleevec prescriptions with Tasigna and to overlook the life-threatening adverse side effects of Tasigna." The Department of Justice fined Novartis $1 billion for their fraud and deception for withholding what they knew about the atherosclerosis side effects of Tasigna. Novartis settled by paying $390 million.

The McWilliams lawsuit alleges Tasigna caused his atherosclerosis that led to his stroke and that Novartis failed to warn consumers that this was a possibility. Other Tasigna patients suffering from atherosclerosis may file a claim against Novartis for failing to warn them of the life-threatening risks Tasigna presents and should speak to a Tasigna lawyer to see if they qualify to file a claim for compensation of medical expenses, lost wages, pain, and suffering and other related expenses.

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Lawyers for Tasigna Atherosclerosis Lawsuits

Attorneys handling Tasigna lawsuits for leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma offer free, no-obligation case review for individuals and families who believe they may have grounds to file a Tasigna lawsuit. Working on a contingency basis, these attorneys are committed to never charging legal fees unless they win compensation in your Tasigna lawsuit. The product liability litigators handling Roundup claims at the Onder Law Firm have a strong track record of success in representing families harmed by dangerous drugs and consumer products.