Pfizer is paying $44 million to settle a Chantix lawsuit. See who could get money
Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has agreed to a $44 million class action settlement over its oral prescription medication Chantix. The drug which was first approved by the FDA in May 2006 and was used to help smokers quit until it was taken off the market in 2021.
The lawsuit claims that prescription medication was contaminated with high levels of a certain nitrosamine, a known carcinogen that may raise the risk of developing cancer. The suit also alleged “Pfizer failed to comply with current good manufacturing practices,” was negligent, and violated consumer protection laws.
The company did not admit fault. In the settlement, Pfizer said the company “believes it did nothing wrong and denies that it violated any law,” but agreed to settle in order to avoid further “uncertainties and expenses” that may be associated with the suit.
Who is eligible for a payout?
Anyone, including third parties, who paid any amount of money for the drug between Sept. 29, 2015 and Sept. 17, 2021 in the United States and its territories are eligible for a payout.
However, in order to quality, consumers must be able to provide some form of documentation of their purchases, such as receipts or credit card statements.
Consumers will be paid on a “pro rata basis” which will reflect the amounts paid for the drug with a cap of 20% of the Available Settlement Fund. Claims cannot exceed the amount they spent on the drug. Third-party payors will receive any funds remaining after consumer claims are paid. The final amount consumers will receive will depend on the final approval hearing, set for Oct. 13, 2026.
How can consumers file a claim?
The settlement advises consumers who wish to file a claim to fill out a claim form directly on the settlement site. “You can submit your Claim Form online at the Settlement Website or download a paper Claim Form to mail in. If possible, include documents to support your claim,” it explains. The form must be submitted online by September 14, 2026, or postmarked by the same date.
After being on the market for around 15 years, in 2021, Pfizer recalled all lots of the drug over concerns that long-term use of the medication could lead to an increased risk of cancer due to the level of the nitrosamine, N-nitroso-varenicline. The drug came off the market for good soon after the recall.
Still, at the time, the company said the “health benefits of stopping smoking outweigh the theoretical potential cancer risk from the nitrosamine impurity in varenicline.”
The lawsuit over Chantix’s potential cancer risks is far from the first suit over the medication. Over 2,700 lawsuits were filed against Pfizer beginning in 2008 over claims that the drug led to severe mental health complications and psychiatric disorders. One 2011 case even blamed the drug for a murder-suicide that took place in Pennsylvania. That case was ultimately resolved through a private, out-of-court settlement.