A new study published by the Oxford Journal of Infectious Diseases suggests that cholesterol-treating statins like Lipitor may make influenza vaccinations less effective.
Pfizer’s Lipitor (atorvastatin) is the most popular statin on the market, and between 1996 and 2009 cemented itself as the best-selling prescription drug of all time. But after Pfizer’s patent expired, lipitor lawsuits began accusing Pfizer of failing to warn about known risks. Many initial Lipitor lawsuits were filed after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in 2012 that statins may increase users’ risk of diabetes.
In early 2014, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict litigation consolidated 56 Lipitor lawsuits in federal court in South Carolina. Since then, the number of Lipitor lawsuits has skyrocketed to more than 2,800, and legal experts predict there may ultimately be as many as 10,000 cases nationwide.
In addition to a possible increased risk of diabetes, patients who use Lipitor or similar statins may now need to worry about how the drugs interact with flu shots. The authors of the new study observed vaccinated patients over nine flu seasons and found that those who took statins were nearly twice as likely to develop a medically attended acute respiratory illness in times of both local and widespread influenza circulation.
Talk to your doctor before making any changes to your treatment plan. If you or someone close to you developed diabetes after using a statin like Lipitor, contact the attorneys at Lopez McHugh today to receive a free consultation.
