Judge slashes fines in drug safety case

A US judge has once again overturned a jury’s decision to extract massive damages from pharmaceutical firms Takeda and Eli Lilly in a case concerning diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone). In April of this year, the companies were fined a total of $9 billion (£5.6 billion) in a case hinging on whether taking Actos increases the likelihood of patients developing bladder cancer.

However, the companies appealed the award, and the judge has reduced the damages to a total of $38 million, split between the two firms. Both companies welcomed the judgement, but signalled their intention to appeal for the verdict to be overturned. The case is one of several being fought by the companies across the US over Actos and its safety. Several have not made it to trial, and others where damages were awarded have been overturned on appeal.