Pamela Forrester

Pamela Forrester, one of three northern Nevada women awarded millions in damages this year against pharmaceutical giant Wyeth, died Thursday. She was 65.

Pamela Forrester, one of three northern Nevada women awarded millions in damages this year against pharmaceutical giant Wyeth, died Thursday. She was 65.

The Yerington woman was under hospice care for lung cancer, said her attorney, Geoff White.

Forrester and two other women were awarded $58 million after a jury found that one of Wyeth's drugs, Prempro, caused their breast cancer.

It is the largest award to date against the Madison, N.J.-based company, which faces about 5,300 similar lawsuits across the country in state and federal courts.

All involve the drugs Premarin, an estrogen replacement, and Prempro, a combination of estrogen and progestin. The drugs are prescribed to women to ease menopause symptoms.

Wyeth has appealed the award to the Nevada Supreme Court.