Teva, Baxter and McKesson ordered to pay $162.5 million in damages over Propofol
11 Oct 2011
A US court has ordered Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, the world's largest generic drug maker, and two other pharmaceutical companies to pay $162.5 million in punitive damages to three people for selling reusable anesthetic Propofol that led them to develop Hepatitis C.
The damages awarded are on top of $20.1 million Teva and two other pharmaceutical firms were ordered to pay last week to five people.
Jurors in a Nevada state court in Las Vegas ordered Teva, Baxter Healthcare Corp and McKesson Corp to pay the punitive damages over sales of the anesthetic in vials large enough to be reused by doctors on multiple colonoscopy patients, and thereby causing the spread of Hepatitis C.
Although prosecutors sought more than $700 million in damages, the jury ordered Israeli-based Teva to pay $89.4 million, Baxter was ordered to pay $55.2 million and McKesson $17.9 million.
Propofol is a short-acting anesthesia medication used for sedation during medical procedures, such as colonoscopy and endoscopy.
The US Food and Drug Administration had approved Propofol with clear instructions for one-time use only, with sterile instruments, and for one patient only.