Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria filed charges against U.S. drug maker Pfizer Inc. this week, accusing it of dosing Nigerian kids with an unapproved drug during a meningitis epidemic. Pfizer says its use of the antibiotic Trovan on children in Kano state in 1996 was part of a clinical trial approved by the Nigerian government. But Kano authorities say that several children died from the drug. Kano state brought a suit against Pfizer two years ago that is still ongoing. Now the federal government has brought its own legal action, seeking nearly $7 billion in damages. The government contends that the Trovan scandal has made Nigerians reluctant to get vaccinations.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.