Drugs - Liability

Related cases on the FDA, Medical Devices, Marijuana and Narcotics Laws, general Products Liability, and Federal Preemption of State Law.

Conte v. Wyeth, Inc., 168 Cal.App.4th 89, 85 Cal.Rptr.3d 299 (Cal.App. 1 Dist. 2008), rehearing denied (Nov 26, 2008), review denied (Jan 21, 2009)

Court upholds learned intermediary defense in Zyprexa suicide case - Ebel v. Eli Lilly & Co., No. 08-40170 (5th Cir. 2009); Injunction preventing dissemination of Lilly documents but allowing WWW publications to stand - In re Zyprexa Injunction, 474 F.Supp.2d 385 (E.D.N.Y. 2007), injunction upheld, In re Zyprexa Litigation, 2007 WL 669797 (E.D.N.Y.  2007).

Supreme Court rejects federal preemption of state claims in drug cases - Wyeth v. Levine, 129 S.Ct. 1187 (2009)

Attorney sanctions in Phen-Fen settlement - 2005

Class Action Certified in OxyContin Case on Over-Promotion - Howland v. Purdue Pharma, L.P., 2003 WL 21637968, 2003-Ohio-3699 (Ohio App. 12 Dist. 2003)

Learned Intermediary in Louisiana - Stahl v. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., 283 F.3d 254 (5th Cir.(La.) 2002)

Brief - Physician fails in emotional distress claiming against drug manufacturer for injury to patient - Fetick v. American Cyanamid Co., 38 S.W.3d 415 (Mo. 2001)

Brief - Liability for allowing a drug salesman in an examination room - Sanchez-Scott v. Alza Pharmaceuticals, 86 Cal.App.4th 365, 103 Cal.Rptr.2d 410 (Cal.App. 2 Dist. 2001)

Nebraska rejects Restatement 3rd in Accutane case - Freeman v. Hoffman-La Roche, Inc., 260 Neb. 552, 618 N.W.2d 827, 618 N.W.2d 827 (Nebraska 2000)

Court allows expert speculation over Daubert objections - Miller v. Pfizer, Inc., 2000 U.S.Dist. LEXIS 9816 (D.Kan. 6-23-00)

Brief - Does PMA approval trigger federal preemption of state lawsuits against a medical device supplier? - Haidak v. Collagen Corp., 67 F.Supp.2d 21 (D.Mass. 1999) and Weiland v. Telectronics Pacing Systems, Inc., 721 N.E.2d 1149 (Ill. 1999)

Brief - What is the standard for a pharmacist's duty to warn? - Morgan v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., No. 03-99-00700-CV (Tex.App. Dist.3 08-10-2000)

Brief - The Fen-Phen Settlement - Brown v. American Home Products Corporation Diet Drugs, No. 99-20593 (E.D.Pa. 08-28-2000)

Perez v. Wyeth Laboratories Inc., 161 N.J. 1, 734 A.2d 1245 (N.J. Aug 09, 1999) - This case limits the learned intermediary defense when there is direct marketing of prescription drugs (Norplant) to consumers. 

Supreme Court Finds Medical Device Amendments do not Preempt State Tort Law - Medtronic, Inc. v. Lohr, 518 U.S. 470 (1996)

Supreme Court establishes standards for scientific evidence (liability for Bendectin) - Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579 (1993)

Brief - Governmental Immunity and FDA Actions - Polio Vaccine - Berkovitz by Berkovitz v. U.S., 486 U.S. 531 (1988)

Feldman v. Lederle Laboratories, 479 A.2d 374 (N.J. 1984) - This is a key case analyzing the application of products liability to drugs.

Stevens v. Parke, Davis & Co., 507 P.2d 653 (Cal. 1973) - This is the classic case that held that over promotion of a drug can dilute the warnings.

Sterling Drug Inc. v. Yarrow, 408 F.2d 978 (8th Cir. 1969) - This is the classic failure to warn the learned intermediary case.