Pfizer Fails to Bar Expert Witness Testimony in Chantix MDL Cases Lance Andrews | September 4th, 2012 | Posted in Recent Settlements Drug manufacturer Pfizer has had a motion dismissed in the pre-trial process for pending Chantix suicide lawsuits. Pfizer attempted to bar expert witness testimony for the plaintiffs, which was rejected by the federal judge on August 21, 2012. This means that these experts can testify about the psychological risks, such as depression and suicidal thoughts, that occur while individuals were taking smoking cessation drug Chantix. The Chantix settlement amounts demanded by each plaintiff are officially in excess of $75,000, though if the cases are successful, the amounts awarded are likely to be far greater. Chantix lawyer files case in California The lawsuit of Saul Frazier v. Pfizer was first filed in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. At the request of Pfizer, the case was then transferred to the United States District Court in the Central District of California. On March 2012, the case was then transferred to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. This federal lawsuit is part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL), a group of consolidated lawsuits which will be presided over by Judge Inge P. Johnson. Chantix violence, other side effects spur lawsuits against Pfizer In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug Chantix (varenicline) for use in the United States. This prescription medication was meant to help people quit smoking by reducing the pleasurable effects in the brain that come from smoking. In 2009, the FDA issued a requirement that a black box warning be added to the Chantix drug label, which was intended to let people know about the risk of psychological problems. Some of these included increased hostility, depression, and thoughts of suicide. Thousands seek Chantix Settlement Amounts Drug manufacturer Pfizer currently faces approximately 2,600 lawsuits, which have been filed on behalf of those who have been severely injured due to psychological problems, including those who have committed suicide. In 2011, the FDA issued another warning of an increase in heart problems in people taking Chantix. According to a report published in the PLoS ONE medical journal in January 2011, researchers from the Cambridge Hospital and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices found that Chantix was linked to violence in over 400 reported cases. This research was conducted over a five-year period, and focused on adverse event reports submitted to the FDA through the year 2009. Researchers have stated that the primary cause of Chantix violence is an increase of dopamine to the brain instigated by the drug. In July 2011, the same researchers issued a report outlining the risk of aggressive and violent behavior of Chantix users, but indicated that these side effects quickly disappeared after discontinuing use of the drug.