Suit Claims Cephalon's Actiq Is Fatal to Teeth

(MoneyWatch)  Cephalon developed a sugar-free version of its Actiq fentanyl painkiller lollipop but chose not to market it, despite reports from patients that the sugar in Actiq was rotting their teeth, a man alleges in a state court case in Texas. The suit provides no evidence to back its claim.

• Download Minckley v. Cephalon here.

Greg Lee MincKley of Austin alleges that he was prescribed Actiq in 2007 for his pancreatitis pain. By holding the Actiq lollipop in his cheek, the sugar from the drug device rotted his teeth, he alleges:

Cephalon Inc. had a duty to properly and reasonably warn Greg Minckley of the fact his teeth could probably crack off at the gum with use of Actiq lollipops and reports of other such cases had occurred.

... Cepahlon developed a sugar-free variety of Actiq lollipops, but failed to market it to the public.

It has cost him up to $37,000 to fix his "uneducated appearance," Minckley claims, which is a problem because he's a teacher.

The web is rife with complaints from Actiq users that they literally lost their teeth from the decay caused by Actiq's sugar content.

Actiq's PI warns of tooth decay, but the warning is not very prominent and tooth decay occurs in less than 1 percent of users, it states:

Actiq contains sugar. Cavities and tooth decay have occurred in patients taking Actiq. When taking Actiq, you should talk to your dentist about proper care of your teeth.

Hat tip to Courthouse News.

• See previous BNET coverage of Cephalon and Provigil:
• Judge Revisits Cephalon's Off-Label Madness: Actiq Is "an ER on a Stick!"
• Cephalon Q2: Not Taking Nuvigil to Stay Awake Yet? You Will Be, Company Believes
• Cephalon's Nuvigil Test Included "Vacation" in France
• The FTC's Pay-for-Delay Threat: It's All Cephalon CEO Baldino's Fault
• Is Cephalon's Provigil Addictive? Ask the Cocaine-Using Monkeys It Was Tested On.
• List of 56 Drugs That Should Not Be Mixed With Viagra Contains Some Surprises
• Cephalon: Damn the Torpedoes! We're Raising Prices!
• "Pain Is Pain": Cephalon's Marketing Comes Under DOJ Control
• Behind Cephalon's Numbers: a Big Cancer Bet and Signs of Skepticism
• Insomnia Pill Makers Go After Elderly With New 'Fear of Falling'
• FTC accuses Cephalon over Provigil in patent case