Menopause Drug Verdict: $134.5 M
Three Nevada women who claimed Prempro and Premarin caused their breast cancer have won a $134.5 verdict against the maker of the hormone-replacement drugs.
The Reno jury delivered the verdict late Wednesday and will return to the courtroom today to consider punitive damages, the Associated Press reports.
The compensatory damages verdict is the largest to date against pharmaceutical maker Wyeth. The company is battling about 5,300 lawsuits by 7,900 women who took the drugs to treat symptoms of menopause.
The case is the seventh to reach a verdict, the Wall Street Journal reports (sub. req.). Wyeth won three cases at trial and three others in post-trial litigation. None of the initial awards in the three cases later decided in Wyeth’s favor were higher than $3 million.
