Oregon Public Broadcasting

Northwest states will get more than $6.5 million from a settlement with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. A total of 33 states are getting $60 million from the deal.

The states accused Pfizer deceptively marketed the anti-inflammatory drugs Celebrex and Bextra, even after the Food and Drug Administration raised concerns about those drugs.  

Oregon Assistant Attorney General David Hart said the marketing tactics were especially egregious for Bextra. 

David Hart:  “Here we have a case where FDA said no you may not promote for this use because it’s dangerous.  And they did it anyway.”

Bextra was pulled from the market in 2005.  

The settlement also requires Pfizer to submit all future television ads to the FDA for approval.  

The settlement with states is part of an $894 million deal that also settles class action and personal injury lawsuits.

Oregon got $4 million, Washington got $1 million, and Idaho got $1.6 million in the settlement.