Eli Lilly named in Zyprexa class-action suit; accusations claim the drug causes diabetes

• An Ontario law firm has launched a class-action suit against Eli Lilly on behalf of Canadians who took the anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa and were subsequently diagnosed with diabetes.
• The firm, Stevenson & Associates, alleges that the drug increases the risk of developing the illness -- and that the pharmaceutical manufacturer failed to warn doctors and patients of the danger.
• The company, which is facing similar liability lawsuits over Zyprexa in the United States and at least one other in Canada, has vigorously denied the accusations.
• The Ontario lawsuit, announced Feb. 4, is against Eli Lilly & Co. and Eli Lilly Canada Inc. for damages of $900 million.
• It was brought on behalf of Andrea Heward of North Bay, Ont., who took Zyprexa and was subsequently diagnosed as diabetic.
• Heward says she can no longer work and blames the drug for causing her poor health.
• Class-action lawsuits filed in Ontario can also apply to other Canadians who may be affected by the claim.
• A B.C. man launched a class-action lawsuit against Eli Lilly in January, alleging that it minimized Zyprexa's health risks.
• Zyprexa is used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, among other illnesses.
• Available in Canada since 1996, the drug is Lilly's top seller with total sales of $223 million in Canada in 2002 and $4.42 billion worldwide in 2004.