Pfizer was ordered to pay $430 million on charges of false marketing of a powerful anti-convulsion medication. In 1993, the FDA approved Neurontin® solely for the management of seizures suffered by epileptics, and only when used in conjunction with other medications. The market for epilepsy drugs is somewhat limited in the United States, so Parke-Davis/Warner-Lambert turned to illegal measures to promote Neurontin®.

Parke-Davis/Warner-Lambert (now Pfizer) used falsified trial results to aggressively promote Neurontin® as not only a monotherapy treatment for epilepsy, but also for a host of other conditions for which it was not approved. Some of these conditions include migraine headaches, restless leg syndrome, attention deficit disorder (ADD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease), various pain disorders, and bipolar mental disorder.

In June of 2002, a lawsuit was filed against Pfizer. The suit charged the manufacturer for deliberate false promotion of Neurontin® for treatment purposes for which it was not approved, and for giving outrageously lavish kickbacks to doctors prescribing the medication for unapproved ailments. In May of 2004, Pfizer paid $430 million for false marketing, covering the results of a study that indicated Neurontin® was less effective than a placebo in treating bipolar disorder.

Although Neurontin® has since been approved for treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia, it has not been approved to treat many medical conditions for which it has been prescribed. Thereby, Neurontin® has not been studied for adverse effects resulting from treatment for many of these off-label conditions. Another frightening fact is that the exact mechanism of Neurontin® is unknown; the drug affects the body’s nerves and chemicals that are known to cause seizures and some forms of pain.

Known side effects of Neurontin® include convulsions, compromised coordination, double or blurred vision, random eye tics, persistent cold-like symptoms, swollen joints, mental instability, sleepiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, memory loss. Children have shown more severe reaction to the drug, often displaying excessive aggression, mood swings, and hyperactivity.

If you or a loved one took Neurontin®, especially for off-label purposes, contact our Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Neurontin® lawyers today to discuss your history with the medication. You may be eligible for compensation for any adverse effects, even minor ones, you have suffered as a result of taking the illegally marketed Neurontin®. Our attorneys at the Philadelphia-based law Firm of Eisenberg, Rothweiler,  Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck, P.C. believe that your health is of utmost importance, and will fight to reclaim damages for your suffering.