Diabetes caused by Lipitor: Lawsuits Filed by Two Kansas Women, Reports Janet, Jenner & Suggs

KANSAS CITY, Kan., March 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Kansas women who took Lipitor to reduce their cholesterol levels and later developed diabetes have filed Lipitor lawsuits against Pfizer, announced Robert K. Jenner, attorney with Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC.

In separate filings, Alice Beems of Topeka (Case no. 2:14-cv-2088), and Nora Hammerschmidt of Plainville (Case no. 2:14-cv-2089) claim Pfizer failed to warn doctors and their patients that Lipitor, also called atorvastatin, altered blood sugar levels, putting users at much higher risk for developing diabetes. The cases were filed Feb. 25 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas by JJ&S attorneys representing the women.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered Pfizer in 2011 to add a warning that Lipitor carried a high risk of developing increased blood sugar levels, according to court documents. The company complied in 2012, although the warning continues to be "extremely vague" and makes no direct reference to diabetes, according to documents.

Pfizer had known since at least 2006 that Lipitor was causing increased blood sugar users in many users, according to the lawsuits.

Women's Health Study

A study conducted by the Women's Health Initiative of 150,000 postmenopausal women and published in 2012 found that those taking a statin were 48 percent more likely to get a diabetes diagnosis. The statistic rose to 86 percent for women with normal body weight.

As a result of their diabetes, these women are at much greater risk for heart disease, blindness, neuropathy and kidney disease, and must take additional medication and follow a restrictive diet and exercise regimen for the rest of their lives, according to the lawsuits.

Kansas Women Seek Legal Help

"The Lipitor diabetes attorneys at Janet, Jenner & Suggs are ready to advise anyone who was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 after taking high doses of Lipitor or atorvastatin about their legal rights. They may be eligible to receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, and more," Jenner said. The JJ&S Lipitor diabetes attorneys may be contacted through the firm's website or by calling 1-877-MY-ADVOCATES (692-3862).

Janet, Jenner & Suggs is a national firm noted for its expertise in dangerous drugs and medical devices, birth injury and cerebral palsy cases, and environmental litigation. The firm has offices in Maryland, South Carolina, Massachusetts, New York, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Minnesota, and West Virginia.

Contact is Teresa Kelly, 512-328-4276, [email protected]

SOURCE Janet, Jenner & Suggs, LLC