Pfizer settles case over medical experiments on Nigerian children

Back in January 2009 I reported that the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit revived a claim filed under the Alien Torts Statute by Nigerian citizens against Pfizer claiming the company subjected their children to medical experimentation without their consent during a 1996 meningitis outbreak. The opinion is available here. In November 2009 I noted that case was appealed to the the US Supreme Court and that the Court asked the Justice Department’s Office of the Solicitor General to file a brief in the case. Then in June 2010, the Supreme Court rejected Pfizer's appeal after the US Solicitor General filed a brief arguing the Supreme Court should not bother to hear the case. Go here for the full story. Now the final chapter of this sad story seems to have been written. After 15 years of battling with Pfizer, the plaintiffs have settled with the company. The Wall Street Journal law blog has the story here. Reportedly, the plaintiffs were worried about the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals decision barring claims against a corporation under the Alien Tort Statute. For more on that case go here, here and here.