A recent news article reported that former drug reps admitted to FDA officials that some Lipitor prescriptions were written with deceitful intentions. The article went on to state that even “a top expert in the field” admitted to altering the drug instructions to suit the company. One official stated, “The goal was to make a bigger profit and that’s exactly what happened.” This admission came just as the JML case was heating up and the lawyers were getting closer to proving liability on all of the patients who died or suffered serious medical complications as a result of taking Lipitor. This case has been used as an example of the perils associated with drug sales, particularly when medications are intentionally designed to harm rather than cure.
The JML case also demonstrates the importance of keeping track of your medications, especially when they’re prescribed for non-prescription purposes.
One of the patients suing Lipitor claimed that he had lost his sense of taste and smell after taking the popular drug called Lipitor. Another plaintiff, a diabetic, claimed that he experienced severe joint pain because of his high blood sugar levels.
The attorney representing the JML claims that the Food and Drug Administration did not approve Lipitor as safe but merely recommended it for patients with mild to moderate cases of cholesterol and blood sugar disorders. In its labeling, Lipitor boasts of atorvastatin, a naturally occurring chemical that helps raise cholesterol and blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Atorvastatin is only available from certain sources and must be purchased through a pharmacy. It can only be used by diabetics. A number of countries, including India, China, and France, have banned the production, because of the potential for side effects.
In the JML lawsuit, the attorneys challenging the legality of Atorvastatin argue that there’s no documented evidence linking Atorvastatin with either a decreased risk of stroke or an increased risk of heart attack. There are, however, a number of deaths attributed to statins – a number that some believe may be related to Atorvastatin and other statins. The plaintiffs in this case argue that the FDA was unaware of these deaths and thus was unable to institute regulations to protect consumers. The class action lawsuit is being financed by Atorvastatin’s manufacturer, Sanofi Aventis, but is backed by other large pharmaceutical companies, including GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, and Janssen.
For their part, Sanofi Aventis defended their drug in court, claiming that the link between Atorvastatin and diabetes was merely the result of too many people taking the drug. These claims, however, fell apart when the courts after reviewing internal documents began to question the validity of the case. After all, it was known that Atorvastatin had been subject to Atorvastatin withdrawal in early 2021 due to the FDA’s concerns regarding its safety. Further, Atorvastatin had previously been withdrawn from the market due to its positive relationship with cholesterol, which studies had proved were potentially dangerous. Finally, there’s the fact that the Atorvastatine manufacturer has already taken measures to remove Atorvastatin from the shelves of pharmacies around the world, eliminating the only possible lawsuit opportunity.
The issue of whether or not lipitor and diabetes medications may cause stomach pain has become a very controversial topic in recent years.
While studies have shown a correlation between elevated triglycerides and elevated triglyceride levels, no concrete proof has been able to show that lipitor and statins may cause ulcers and other stomach problems. Some researchers have even gone as far as to say that there is no clear-cut link between lipitor and ulcerative colitis. However, these researchers admit that more studies and research is needed to definitively prove that these drugs may cause serious complications. In the meantime, for those who suffer from both diabetes and ulcers, the best defense against these medications is to follow your doctor’s orders and stay away from any over the counter or prescription copies of lipitor and stairs, as well as other prescription and over the counter medications that may cause stomach pain.
