The family of a woman who died after taking the cholesterol-lowering drug Baycol filed a multi-million-dollar class-action suit yesterday.

The $100-million lawsuit claims the German-based maker and Canadian distributor of the drug -- Bayer A.G., and Bayer Inc., respectively -- owed a "duty of care" to ensure the drug was "fit for its intended purpose."

SIDE EFFECTS

The statement of claim suggests Bayer acted negligently because it "failed to adequately test Baycol in a manner that would fully disclose the various side effects and the magnitude of the risks associated with its use."

Pearl Inwood, 59, of Belleville, Ont., died July 25 of rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which muscle cells are destroyed and released into the bloodstream.

LINKED TO 52 DEATHS

The drug was voluntarily pulled from store shelves around the world last month after it was linked to 52 deaths.

"Canadians must be able to trust the safety of prescription drugs and know that drugs are properly tested before they are released on the marketplace," said Joel Rochon, a lawyer with Rochon Genova, the firm representing the family.