MONTREAL, July 19,
2024 /CNW/ --
Merchant Law Group LLP and Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Canada Inc.,
Pfizer Canada Inc.'s successor Pfizer Canada ULC, Wyeth,
Wyeth Canada, Wyeth Canada Inc.,
Wyeth Holdings Canada Inc., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc., Wyeth
Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s successor Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, and
Wyeth-Ayerst International Inc. (the "Defendants") have
reached a settlement in the Premarin®/Premplus® class actions.
The Settlement Agreement fully and finally
resolves the authorized class action in Québec
(Roslyn Sifneos v Pfizer Inc. et
al., Superior Court of Quebec No. 500-06-000576-112), and
related putative class proceeding litigation in Ontario (Judy
Vermue v Pfizer Inc. et
al., Superior Court No. CV-13-478523-00CP) and Saskatchewan (Donna
Sevigny v Pfizer Inc. et al., Court of Queen's Bench
(Regina) No. 1869 of 2016) (the "Class
Actions"). Justice Martin Castonguay of the Superior
Court of Québec approved the settlement on September 7, 2023.
These Class Actions alleged that the Defendants'
drugs, Premarin® and PremPlus®, cause injury, including breast
cancer, and that the Defendants failed to provide an appropriate
warning of risks. The Defendants denied these claims and defended
these lawsuits. No determination has been made on the
merits of the claims in these lawsuits.
Pursuant to the Sifneos Settlement Agreement, a $2.4 million fund has been established
to pay compensation to class members, public
health insurers, legal fees, disbursements, and
administration costs, but the exact dollar amount that each
Claimant receives will depend on their use and exposure to the
drugs, the nature and severity of their injuries, and the number of
claimants who seek compensation from the fund.
Pursuant to the terms of the settlement, the class has given the
Defendants a comprehensive full and final release.
Class members include "All persons in Canada, including their estates, heirs and
relatives, if any, who purchased, ingested or consumed Premarin® or
Premplus® products manufactured, marketed and distributed by the
Defendants and who developed breast cancer, but excluding any
person who was a
Stanway Proceeding Class Member."
(The Stanway class action was an earlier class
action which settled for residents of British Columbia and other women who "opted
in" to be a part of the Stanway proceeding. Those
who have already participated in the Stanway settlement or
were deemed residents of British
Columbia under the Stanway proceeding, are not
eligible for further compensation.)
For more information on benefits that may be available to class members,
the approval process, how to
"opt-out" of the Settlement, how to make
comments on or object to the Settlement, or to
obtain a copy of the Settlement Agreement, please visit
https://www.merchantlaw.com/premarin
URL: https://www.merchantlaw.com/premarin
SOURCE Epiq Class Action Services Canada Inc.