US drug giant Pfizer Thursday said it had got the go-ahead from Nigerian authorities before administering a drug that claimed the lives of 11 children in the northern Kano state in 1996.
"We have written approvals from NAFDAC (Nigeria's drug agency), the federal ministry of health, Kano government and parents or guardians of the children before the clinical test of the drug was carried out," managing director of Pfizer Specialities Limited Nigeria Ngozi Edozien told reporters.The Nigerian federal government and Kano state government have filed two separate suits against Pfizer, claiming around some 9.5 billion dollars in damages for victims of the failed drug test.
Both governments accuse Pfizer of administering a test antibiotic called Trovan without authorisation or parental consent among children at a field hospital during an epidemic of meningitis, measles and cholera.
Of the 200 children affected, 11 died while many more -- reportedly 181 -- suffered from deafness, paralysis, brain damage and blindness, according to the allegations. Pfizer denies the charges.
Edozien said Pfizer carried out the test following "an appeal for help" from Nigeria.
She said Trovan as an oral application was the best drug to treat those disease and underlined that Pfizer meant no harm.
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She said the company would defend itself against the suits during the next hearing.
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The federal suit comes up on July 20 while that of Kano government has been fixed for October 3.
Source-AFP
LIN/J