Wyeth comments on diet drug verdict

A US district court in St Louis, Missouri has ruled in favour of a plaintiff who alleged heart valve injury from treatment with the diet drug Pondimin, once marketed by Wyeth.

Virginia Cavender will receive $75,000 (37,620 pounds) from the firm, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical and healthcare products manufacturers. The case was tried in the District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri before the Honourable E Richard Webber.

Pondimin is an anti-obesity medication designed to raise serotonin levels thus depressing the central nervous system and regulating mood and appetite.

Meanwhile, the Philippines subsidiary of the US drug maker has announced the recall of its tinned infant formula.

Wyeth Philippines will recall products made between May 23rd 2006 and July 26th 2006 due to the oxidisation of some of the cans. The business said it did not know how many tins would be affected.

“Tests conducted by Wyeth showed the milk powder inside the affected cans was not compromised and the integrity of the milk powder was maintained,” Wyeth said in a statement.

“No sickness or injury had been reported by Wyeth from the affected products,” it added.