Nigeria quits talks with Pfizer over deadly drug trialsNigeria quits talks with Pfizer over deadly drug trials
By Agency reports
KANO (AFP) - Nigeria's Kano state has quit out-of-court talks with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer over allegedly illegal drug trials that led to the deaths of 11 children in 2006, a senior justice official said Wednesday.
"Kano state government is no longer inclined towards holding any direct discussions with Pfizer, its retained counsel or employees," said a letter from justice commissioner Aliyu Umar addressed to Pfizer lawyer Anthony Idigbe.
Nigeria alleges that Pfizer used an untested meningitis drug, Trovan, without authorization on 200 children during a triple epidemic of meningitis, measles and cholera in which over 12,000 people died.
It says that the drug testing led to 11 deaths and more than 180 cases of deformity.
Pfizer for its part denies any wrongdoing, saying the trials were conducted with the full knowledge of the Nigerian government and in a responsible and ethical way.
Umar's letter accused Pfizer of wrongfully claiming that Kano officials had, at a meeting on October 3, agreed to receive compensation for the death of 11 children and for severe deformities suffered by six others.
Kano state denied, also in the letter, that it had scaled back its claims and even that any meeting had taken place since what it said was the last of three between the two sides in London on September 20.
"Pfizer's conduct unequivocally demonstrates that there is no basis for Kano state government to repose any confidence in its attitude, approach or claims of sincerity," the letter said.
In a second letter, also shown to AFP Wednesday, Umar requested help from the Nigerian federal government to extradite five US citizens who allegedly took part in the drug trials.
Kano has filed civil and criminal suits against Pfizer and several of its staff demanding 2.75 billion dollars (1.9 billion euros) in compensation.
Wednesday's hearing in the civil suit before a Kano court was given over to legal technicalities and adjourned to January 28 next year.
Scores of alleged victims and their families besieged the court building carrying placards calling for Pfizer's prosecution, but the judge ordered them away, describing their presence as attempted intimidation.
OTHER ARTICLES IN HEALTH
