Premarin® / Premplus® Class Action Settlement Approved

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.

Merchant Law Group LLP (Class Counsel), Christine Nasraoui, Email: [email protected], Tel: [phone]; For Defendants: Email: [email protected], Tel: [phone]