| en hit the market in the early 1990's proclaiming to | | | | realize the scope of the epidemic, and within two |
| be the world's leading diet pill for patients who were | | | | years a steady stream of cases eligible for Fen-Phen |
| struggling to lose unwanted weight. Somewhere | | | | lawsuits claiming negligent marketing leading to injury |
| between six million and seven million people took the | | | | were walking through the front doors almost daily. |
| miracle drug and for many of them, Fen-Phen | | | | Fen-Phen lawyers claim that American Home Products |
| provided their weight loss miracle at a terrible price. | | | | did not do adequate testing and ignored test results |
| Fen-Phen wasn't recalled until 1997 and, since | | | | that showed a potential for Fen-Phen related injuries. |
| Fen-Phen's destruction on the heart takes years to | | | | The steady stream of Fen-Phen class action lawsuits |
| become a reality, in some cases more than ten, | | | | being filed by Fen-Phen lawyers prompted American |
| Fen-Phen has been linked to an exorbitant number of | | | | Home Products to establish a fund directly specified |
| cases of the heart condition known as primary | | | | for the purpose of paying out Fen-Phen settlements |
| pulmonary hypertension. Some cases of PPH lead to | | | | to the victims. Fen-Phen lawyers are claiming that |
| disability, while some cases lead to death. An | | | | American Home Products is not the only liable party |
| estimated total of thirty to thirty five percent of | | | | in the Fen-Phen class action lawsuits. Some Fen-Phen |
| Fen-Phen users developed PPH after taking the | | | | lawyers have attempted to hold the American Food |
| medication, often under the care of a physician. | | | | and Drug Administration accountable for allowing |
| Fen-Phen class action lawsuits began popping up | | | | Fen-Phen to remain on the market despite the onset |
| throughout the court system as more and more | | | | of Fen-Phen related illness. PPH is not readily |
| evidence pointed directly at Fen-Phen for the heart | | | | diagnosable, requiring long term symptoms and a |
| complications responsible for the disability and death | | | | good deal of testing and a long record of the |
| of hundreds of patients. Just as the Fen-Phen class | | | | patient's health history. However, as of 1999, most |
| action lawsuits were taking off, the numbers of | | | | doctors now have a questionnaire relating to heart |
| people inflicted with Fen-Phen related heart disease | | | | symptoms which will directly ask if there has been |
| sky rocketed. Finally, in September of 1997, Fen-Phen | | | | any Fen-Phen use in the last twenty years to help |
| was pulled from the market, much too late in the | | | | speed up diagnosis. |
| opinions of many. Fen-Phen lawyers soon began to | | | | |