Crestor Lawsuits
By Aaron Larson
March, 2005
Contents
What is Crestor
Crestor (rosuvastatin), manufactured by AstraZeneca, is an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor, which blocks the production of cholesterol. Cholesterol, produced in the liver, plays an important role in the health of cell membranes and in the production of certain hormones. Like the controvercial drug Baycol, Crestor falls into the class of anti-cholesterol drugs known as statins.
Factual Background
The story of Crestor litigation begins in 1997, when Baycol was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration. Baycol was not effective at the FDA-approved dose so, despite its knowledge of allegations of negative health consequences including rhabdomyolisis (a condition involving symptoms including muscle cell atrophy, muscle pain, weakness, fever, nausea, and sometimes in kidney failure and death), Bayer sought FDA approval of higher doses. Over subsequent years, a large number of Baycol patients were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. Even as the drug increased in popularity, Bayer chose not to disclose the known dangers of rhabdomyolisis in its marketing materials. In August, 2001, at the request of the FDA, Bayer voluntarily removed Baycol from the market. By that time, there had been at least 52 deaths attributed to Baycol use.
In March, 2004, the consumer watchdog group Public Citizen complained to the FDA that rhabdomyolysis was also occurring in users of Crestor, at rates higher than were found with the use of other statins.
Crestor Litigation
AstraZeneca notes that the rate of rhabdomyolysis with Crestor use is very rare (less than 1 case per 10,000 users), and insists that the medication is safe. A number of law firms are recruiting clients for possible future litigation.