Vermont Collects $2 Million in Drug Suit

Attorney General William Sorrell says Vermont will collect $2 million from drug company Pfizer to settle a lawsuit over the company’s marketing practices.

Vermont and 32 other states have been settling lawsuits against the company for a total of $60 million.

Under its settlement with Vermont, Pfizer also must submit its advertising to the federal Food and Drug Administration for approval.

The company did not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement.

The suit concerned Pfizer’s marketing of its now withdrawn painkiller Bextra for “off-label” uses not approved by the FDA.

Bextra was taken off the market in 2005 amid concerns it increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes.