GSK Removal of Zinc From Denture Creams

GlaxoSmithKline, maker of popular denture adhesive and Super Poligrip Poligrip, today announced it will remove zinc from all the denture adhesive products. Pharmaceutical giant has added minerals potentially dangerous for the adhesive for several decades, despite ample evidence that consuming large amounts of zinc during the period of time can cause serious nerve damage.

Litigation leading national pharmaceutical companies, Blizzard, McCarthy and Nabers, representing tens of consumers poisoned by zinc denture cream, welcomed the announcement:

Currently, about 70 lawsuits have been filed in Miami's Multi-District Litigation against both GlaxoSmithKline and Procter & Gamble, makers of denture adhesive containing zinc. And at least 20 other mass claims the lawsuit has been filed in Philadelphia, where the GlaxoSmithKline headquarters is located. Recently, Blizzard was named to the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee for MDL Miami.

"On behalf of dozens of patients poisoned by zinc in denture creams, we have seen the damage caused by this poison," said attorney Ed Blizzard "Today's announcement is responsible for GSK's actions to take and a victory for consumers .. Unfortunately, it comes too late for hundreds - even thousands - of people who have been paralyzed by zinc poisoning. "While we applaud the efforts GlaxoSmithKline to make their products safer, the reality is, should have removed the zinc from the adhesive that years ago."

"While today's announcement is a positive step, most consumers still do not realize the danger posed by the denture adhesive zinc-laced," said Scott Nabers, a partner at Blizzard, McCarthy and Nabers, who handles corporate cases in Philadelphia Mass Tort Program . "Product Poligrip also not the only adhesive on the market spiked with minerals. Procter & Gamble, maker of Fixodent, it must also be attractive tin containing denture cream products because they carry the same risk of zinc poisoning to consumers."

Over the last two years, three separate scientific studies have reported a direct relationship between the use of denture adhesive zinc-laden and serious neurological disorders such as neuropathy. A study in 2008 published in Neurology concluded, "Chronic use excessive [denture adhesive] can cause serious neurological disease in ...." Another study published last year in NeuroToxicology identified 11 patients who suffer from zinc-related nerve damage and concluded that the use of denture cream appear [ed] to be the only source of excess zinc in these patients. "