BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) - A federal court in Alabama will centralize at least 1,200 civil lawsuits against Pfizer Inc over its smoking-cessation drug Chantix, which plaintiffs say can lead to suicide.
U.S. Judge Inge Johnson (not pic) of the Northern District of Alabama is handling pretrial proceedings and will preside over the civil trials unless the parties settle out of court, the court said.
"The centralization will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of the litigation," according to court documents.
Worldwide sales of Chantix for the third quarter of 2010 stood at $163 mln, up 5 pct from one year earlier.
About 60 percent of the cases allege suicide, attempted suicide or other overt acts of injury, Ernest Cory, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said on Tuesday.
"Chantix was put on the market without adequate warnings and it is a dangerous drug ... Many people prior to July 2009 were not aware that this drug was not tested in any patient with any mental condition," he said.
"As a result, it appears that several thousands of people have been seriously injured or have died from using this drug, and that's a tragedy for them and their families. That's a tragedy that didn't need to happen," he said.
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