Family of late Alabama AD Mal Moore file wrongful death lawsuit

The daughter of former University of Alabama athletic director Mal Moore is suing two pharmaceutical companies claiming they manufactured the heart medicine that led to her father’s death.

Heather Moore Cook named Wyeth and Par Pharmaceuticals in the wrongful death suit. The lawsuit claims Moore died as a result of taking the drug amiodarone. Moore died on March 30, 2013. He was 73.

The lawsuit claims amiodarone was not meant to treat atrial fibrillation and was only FDA-approved as "a drug of last resort for patients suffering from documented recurrent life-threatening ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia."

From the lawsuit:

“Defendants' scheme ultimately deceived physicians, pharmacists, and consumers into believing that prescribing and taking amiodarone for the off-label atrial fibrillation uses that Defendants promoted was appropriate even though Defendants knew FDA approval had not been granted for those uses and, moreover, there was significant medical-scientific evidence suggesting amiodarone was very dangerous in those situations, and in fact, resulted in serious pulmonary illness and toxicity, and death, when so used.”

According to the lawsuit, Moore took amiodarone for 90 days in 2008 to treat an irregular heartbeat. Five years later, Moore was diagnosed with advanced pulmonary fibrosis, which the daughter claims was a direct result of the medication. Moore was hospitalized on March 13, he stepped down as athletic director on March 20 and died 10 days later.

The lawsuit claims Moore never received a Medication Guide that would have advised him of the uses and risks involved with taking the medication. It says Moore experienced many of the side effects, including shortness of breath, a cough which produced signs of blood and longer than normal healing of wounds.

The family, which is seeking compensatory damages in addition to other fees, filed the lawsuit on March 30, which was just before the statute of limitations was up.

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