Gilead is accused of ‘downplaying or omitting altogether the clinical dangers experienced by patients from remdesivir use.’
The company that manufactures remdesivir, used across the United States to treat COVID-19, has been hit with a class-action lawsuit over allegations it deceptively promoted the drug without disclosing possible side effects.
Two California residents, one of whom is a relative of a person who died after receiving remdesivir, lodged the suit against Gilead Sciences in Shasta County on Sept. 26.
Deborah Fust, the surviving spouse of Michael Fust, and Edward Pimentel, who says he was injured after receiving remdesivir, are accusing California-based Gilead of failing to mention documented side effects in its promotion of remdesivir.
“It’s a terrible drug. The nonprofit has thousands of members who have the hospital records, and you can see there’s a big difference in the creatinine levels and the blood levels, kidney readings after they get the remdesivir,” Bradford Geyer, an attorney with Former Feds Group who is representing the plaintiffs, told The Epoch Times.
The FormerFedsGroup Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit, has compiled some of the cases on its website.
The suit says that Gilead’s press releases and statements to consumers and investigators from Gilead show “a pattern of downplaying or omitting altogether the clinical dangers experienced by patients from remdesivir use, instead emphasizing its supposed benefits, safety, and efficacy.”
For example, a website for the drug, also known as veklury, makes no mention of kidney problems. A handout (pdf) given to patients also does not mention the issues.
“Defendant’s advertising that remdesivir is a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19 is false and misleading to a reasonable consumer, including plaintiffs, because defendant in fact knew or should have known, based upon prior studies and data on remdesivir, that it was unsafe and posed a high risk of severe adverse effects and death to plaintiffs and the class,” the suit states.
The advertising “misrepresented and/or omitted the true content and nature of the drug,” it also says.
Gilead did not respond to a request for comment.
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