The long-running legal saga in Nigeria that
Pfizer has been embroiled in looks likely to come to an end with a settlement reached between the drug company and Nigeria's Kano state.
The Nigerian claims stem from an outbreak of meningitis in 1996 which killed thousands, and thousands more became paralysed. Pfizer tested a new oral antibiotic named
Trovan (also known as Trovafloxacin) in Kano State's hospital for infectious diseases. it was administered to 200 sick children.
About 50 of the children died and 181 developed grave mental and physical disabilities. Pfizer concedes there were 11 deaths, but claims the deaths and injuries were not caused by the drug. The company also claims the drug trial was conducted properly according to international and local laws, with the approval of the government and the families concerned. It says the drug had in fact helped to save lives. The Nigerian government claims Pfizer did not obtain consent from the families, amounting to fraud.
There were a number of twists and turns, including a ruling in January 2009 by the Second Circuit US Court of Appeals in New York that the Nigerian families concerned could bring a case against Pfizer in the US, overturning a lower court ruling.
The details of the settlement in the multi-million dollar lawsuit have not been revealed, but it is said that the victims will receive compensation and a local hospital would also receive some money.
The case is now adjourned to May. A further suit in 2007 by the Nigerian government for an additional $6.5 billion is also expected to be withdrawn as a result of the settlement.
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