Six current and former female sales representatives have filed a $100 million class action lawsuit against pharmaceutical manufacturer Daiichi Sankyo, accusing the company of gender discrimination, according to a story in the Huffington Post.
The plaintiffs allege that the Japanese company pays female sales staff less than men for the same work, promotes women more slowly and treats women who are pregnant or have young children worse than other employees.
Daiichi Sankyo has faced other complaints, notably about one of the drugs it manufactures.
Two clinical drug trials have prompted a U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation into whether a blood pressure drug called Benicar increases the risk of heart-related deaths.
Benicar, the brand name for the drug known chemically as olmesartan, was given to some patients with Type 2 diabetes in both of the clinical trials to see whether it would slow the progression of kidney disease or diabetes. Other patients took a placebo. And in both of the clinical trials, diabetes patients who took the drug had a higher rate of death from heart-related causes than patients taking a placebo.
A recent Mayo Clinic report has also linked Benicar to stomach problems including chronic diarrhea, vomiting, intestinal inflammation and weight loss.
According to the Huffington Post, the lawsuit says the women are trying to end employment discrimination for themselves and several hundred other female sales reps who currently work for or have worked for the U.S. arm of Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd.
You should consult with a doctor if you have any ongoing symptoms or health concerns, and before making any changes in medication. You should also consult with a lawyer if you have injuries connected with Benicar.
See the story here:
