Abuja joins action against drugs giant

ABUJA - Nigeria filed charges against Pfizer yesterday, seeking US$6.95 billion ($9.43 billion) in damages over the deaths of children who received an unapproved drug during a meningitis epidemic.

The suit came after a separate court delayed two cases until July in which the drugs maker is accused by the state of Kano of harming children by testing them with the antibiotic Trovan in 1996. Yesterday was the first time the Government filed its own, similar, charges.

- REUTERS