The chief executive officer of Bayer AG told the German business magazine WirtschaftsWoche in a recent interview that the company would be willing to settle individual lawsuits involving the now-banned cholesterol drug Baycol. CEO Werner Wenning told the magazine that Bayer was ready to settle in individual cases but that it saw no reason for a general settlement with all plaintiffs. A spokesperson for Bayer confirmed the report but did not elaborate on what guidelines the drug maker would use to determine which lawsuits to settle.

Bayer is facing more than 2000 individual or class-action lawsuits due to Baycol's damaging side effects. On August 8, 2001, Bayer pulled the drug from the market because of Baycol's association with myositis and rhabdomyolysis, conditions characterized by severe muscle weakening, soreness, and kidney damage. At least 100 deaths have been linked to the medication.