Zyprexa kills patient
Home > Blog > Zyprexa kills patientApril of 2009, Mrs.Carol Pifko, a patient in the Norwood LTC
facility, was elderly (a few months shy of her 62nd birthday)
& suffered from dementia. April 24, 2009, she was prescribed
Zyprexa (Olanzapine) without the knowledge or consent of
herself or her family. Dr. Asad Brahim from Alberta Hospital,
who recommended Zyprexa never saw Mrs. Pifko & had
not reviewed her medical chart. A few days later, Mrs. Pifko died
as a result of having been given Zyprexa.
As a matter of fact, in error, Mrs. Pifco was administered double
doses of Zyprexa, as a result of the negligence of pharmacists
and/or other servants, agents or employees of the Capital Care
or Alberta Health Services, acting within the course and scope of
their employment,
In 2005, Health Canada issued a Black Box warning that Seroquel
& Zyprexa, both antipsychotic drugs, are not approved for treating
elderly patients with dementia. The manufacturers, Eli Lilly have
also issued “Serious Warnings and Precautions” that these drugs
are not indicated for treating elderly patients with dementia & have
no proven efficacy for treating dementia.
January 16, 2009, Eli Lilly pleaded guilty in court to pay $1.42
Billion dollars to settle criminal and civil allegations.
The July 26, 2013 Fatality Inquiry Report concerning Carol Pifco
dismissed request for warnings about anti-psychotic drugs, including
that long term care staff inform patients and their families of the risks
associated with the use of Zyprexa.