May 21, 2014 — The Pennsylvania Record reports that Pfizer is facing a lawsuits from a woman who developed type-2 diabetes after taking Lipitor (atorvastatin) to control high cholesterol levels.
As a result of her diagnosis of diabetes, Hoover must undergo routine testing of her blood-sugar levels, adhere to a strict diet, and take medication to control symptoms. Even with treatment, she has an increased risk of heart disease, blindness, neuropathy, and kidney disease.
As of April 2014, there were 464 lawsuits involving Lipitor and diabetes pending in a federal Multi-District Litigation (MDL No. 2502). The litigation has grown rapidly and is now overseen by Judge Richard M. Gergel in the U.S. District Court for South Carolina.
Plaintiffs allege that Pfizer did not adequately warn about the risk of type-2 diabetes from Lipitor. In February 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved safety warnings about diabetes on the label for Lipitor and other cholesterol-lowering statins.