Washington, DCPfizer has lost its appeal of a ruling that ordered a retrial on punitive damages awarded to a woman who developed breast cancer after taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) The appeal was rejected by the US Supreme Court.
In 2008, a jury in Arkansas awarded Donna Scroggin compensatory damages of $2.7 million and punitive damages of $19.4 million against Wyeth and $7.8 million against Pharmacia & Upjohn. Ms. Scroggin was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, after taking various HRT for 11 years.
Pfizer, who now owns both Wyeth and Pharmacia, appealed the rulings and lost. The US appeals court upheld the jury's compensatory damages, but ordered a new trial on punitive damages against Wyeth. Pfizer appealed that ruling and lost. The company had wanted an entirely new trial.
In 2002, the National Institutes of Health determined a link between the use of HRT and breast cancer.