The Litigation Counsellor®

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Acetaminophen Cases Consolidated and Sent to New York Federal Court

Libby Vish, Esq. | VP, Business Development

On Wednesday, October 5, 2022, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (“JPML”), consolidated suits related to Acetaminophen. There are currently 65 actions pending in eight districts nationwide alleging a link between the development of either autism spectrum disorder (“ASD”) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (“ADHD”) and prenatal exposure to acetaminophen.

West Virginia Reaches Opioid Verdict

Libby Vish, Esq. | VP, Business Development

On July 4, 2022, a West Virginia federal judge found in favor of three drug distributors in the West Virginia opioid litigation. U.S. District Judge David Haber found that Cabell County and the city of Huntington, West Virginia failed to prove that AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp. created a public nuisance by flooding the area with large shipments of opioids. Further, the judge ruled that the plaintiffs could not seek relief for abating the damages from the Opioid Crisis.

J&J Talc Bankruptcy Transferred to New Jersey Court

Libby Vish, Esq. | VP, Business Development

On November 10, 2021, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Craig Whitley of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of North Carolina, issued an order transferring claims against Johnson & Johnson (“J&J”) related to its talc-based products to a federal court in New Jersey where the multidistrict litigation, In re: Johnson and Johnson Talcum Powder Products Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability, is currently pending.

J&J Talc Bankruptcy Potentially Heading to New Jersey

Libby Vish, Esq. | VP, Business Development

On October 25, 2021, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Craig Whitley of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of North Carolina, issued an order instructing a Johnson & Johnson (“J&J”) subsidiary to show cause why the case “should not be transferred to another judicial district where venue is proper.”

Zantac MDL Targets First Bellwether Trial in Mid-2023

Libby Vish, Esq. | VP, Business Development

On October 25, 2021, parties in the Zantac MDL participated in a court conference via Zoom to present to Judge Robin L. Rosenberg of the Southern District of Florida a proposed joint plan for selection of bellwether cases in the Zantac litigation. Plaintiffs in the litigations all similarly allege that they developed cancer after taking the heartburn drug.

September 11, 2019, a Connecticut Superior Court Judge Carl Schuman upheld a $542,464 verdict against pharmaceutical giant, Boehringer Ingelheim, originally awarded in May 2019 in the ongoing Pradaxa litigation.

The suit was originally filed in May 2016 by plaintiff Eugene Roberto. Plaintiff alleged that Boehringer Ingelheim’s label for its popular blood thinning drug Pradaxa, did not adequately warn about the risk of bleeding. The suit, which by this time was merged with the Pradaxa multidistrict litigation (“MDL”), was selected by the plaintiffs’ steering committee to go to trial as a bellwether case.

J&J Hit with $575M in Oklahoma Ruling over Opioid Crisis

Elizabeth DiNardo, Esq. | Associate Counsel

On August 26, 2019, Oklahoma state court Judge Thad Balkman found Johnson & Johnson (“J&J”) responsible for causing the opioid crisis in Oklahoma, and ordered that J&J must pay $572 million to repair the damage. This ruling comes almost six weeks after the conclusion of a seven-week bench trial, where state attorneys successfully proved J&J and its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., created a public nuisance by overstating the benefits of narcotic painkillers while downplaying the risk for addiction.

$3.2 Million Verdict Awarded in AndroGel Bellwether Trial

Elizabeth DiNardo, Esq. | Associate Counsel

On March 26, 2018, a federal jury in Illinois awarded a $3.2 million verdict for plaintiff Jesse Mitchell in the latest AndroGel bellwether litigation. Mitchell, like thousands of similarly situated plaintiffs in the Testosterone Replacement Therapy Products Liability multidistrict litigation, alleges that he was prescribed AndroGel by his doctor to combat symptoms of depression and fatigue after a test showed that he had low testosterone levels. The plaintiff claims that he was given the testosterone replacement drug without any warnings as to the potentially dangerous side effects such as increased risk of heart attack and other blood clotting events associated with the drug.

J&J Accused of Conspiring to Form Remicade Monopoly

Elizabeth DiNardo, Esq. | Associate Counsel

On October 27, 2017, proposed class claims were filed against pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (“J&J”) by grocery union benefits fund United Foods and Commercial Workers Local 1500 Welfare Fund (“UFCW”) who accuse J&J of using its considerable resources and influence to protect the monopoly of its best selling drug, Remicade.

Although filed separately, the wives of Thomas Walsh and Joseph Roman are the latest to officially accuse Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceuticals of concealing life threatening risks associated with the use of their blood thinner, Xarelto. On July 10,2017 in New York State court, the couples filed claims alleging negligence, strict products liability, breach of warranties, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, negligent misrepresentation and fraud and deceit, and are seeking compensatory damages.

On Monday June 19, 2017 the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a controversial ruling from the California Supreme Court, which held that California state courts had jurisdiction to hear class claims from nearly 600 non-California residents who filed suit against Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. The lawsuit was filed in California court alleging that the plaintiffs had sustained injuries from the blood-thinning drug Plavix.

Plaintiffs Challenge AbbVie Inc. in First Bellwether in Androgel MDL

Elizabeth DiNardo, Esq. | Associate Counsel

On Monday, June 5, 2017, AbbVie Inc. was made to face its first bellwether in the Androgel MDL. The class, comprised of over 4,200 cases, is accusing AbbVie Inc. and several others of overselling testosterone replacement drugs and failing to warn doctors and consumers of potentially deadly side effects.

Additional Delay in Depakote MDL Announced

Elizabeth DiNardo, Esq. | Associate Counsel

On Friday March 3, 2017, U. S. District Judge Nancy Rosenstengel announced that the start of the first bellwether trial in the Depakote MDL was to be postponed due to the illness of defense expert witness neurologist, Dr. James Willmore. Judge Rosenstengel announced that while maintaining the planned trial date of March 27, 2017 was of the utmost importance to her, she was convinced after a phone call with Dr. Willmore that he is indeed too ill to testify.

Insulin Price Hike Spurs Class Action Lawsuit

Elizabeth DiNardo, Esq. | Associate Counsel

On January 30, 2017, a punitive class action was filed in Massachusetts federal court alleging that major pharmaceutical companies Sanofi U.S., Novo Nordisk Inc. and Eli Lilly & Co. engaged in a price-fixing conspiracy which has caused the price of insulin to increase over 150% over the past five years. Specifically, Plaintiffs in the class allege that the pharmaceutical companies are announcing one price for the cost of insulin to the American public and then offering pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”), like CVS Health Corps and Express Scripts, a much lower price for the same product. This price gap allows PBMs to sell the diabetes drugs direct to consumers for a much higher price, turning a significant profit.