Nigeria's Government Files $7B Suit Against Pfizer Over Deaths Of Children

Reuters:

Nigeria filed new charges against Pfizer on Monday, seeking $6.95 billion (3.49 billion pounds) in damages over the deaths of children who received an unapproved drug during a meningitis epidemic.

The suit came after a separate court delayed until July two cases in which Pfizer is accused by the northern state of Kano of harming Nigerian children by testing them with the antibiotic Trovan in 1996.

Although the Kano state government case has been running for more than two years, Monday was the first time the federal government filed its own charges.

Nigeria alleged in papers filed at a Federal High Court in the capital Abuja that Pfizer, the world's biggest drugmaker, did not obtain approval from the relevant regulatory agencies and acted unethically when it tested the antibiotic in Kano.

"The plaintiff contends that the defendant never obtained approval of the relevant regulatory agencies ..., nor did the defendant seek or receive approval to conduct any clinical trial at any time before their illegal conduct," Nigeria said in court papers obtained by Reuters.

Read the whole story: Reuters