The four cases were Florence Ford, Lynette Hargrove, Cynthia Nixon and Robin Steward v. Wyeth.

The plaintiffs in these cases alleged heart valve injury from the use of the diet drugs Pondimin and Redux, drugs once marketed by Wyeth. The jury found that Wyeth had not been negligent in its marketing of Pondimin or Redux, and also found that the plaintiffs had failed to prove they had a heart valve injury due to their use of these drugs. This trial began on July 20, 2004 before The Honorable Alfred J. DiBona, Jr.

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Ulcerative colitis patients commonly experience abdominal pain and diarrhoea but fatigue, weight loss, rectal bleeding, loss of appetite and loss of body fluids and nutrients can affect some patients. The trial results were dramatic showing that the synbiotic had a highly significant effect on inflammatory molecules in the bowel wall, largely reducing the pain and discomfort commonly experienced by ulcerative colitis patients. Molecular and clinical tests showed that many symptoms associated with colitis were reduced to near normal levels, and unlike many other treatments, there are no side effects.

Professor George Macfarlane said, This is an important development in the search for an effective treatment for ulcerative colitis. The trial results show that participants receiving the synbiotic stopped experiencing pain, diarrhoea and other symptoms commonly associated with the disease. This meant that they could go about their daily lives without worrying about the symptoms that makes living with the disease a struggle.

The work is ongoing and the research team is also investigating the effects that both diet and age have on the gut. A multidisciplinary team of ten have worked on the project that has seen laboratory based observations translated to the clinical environment - the patients. The project was funded by the Medical Research Council.

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