Arguments Over GDD Lawsuit Centralization on September 27

Arguments Over GDD Lawsuit Centralization on September 27

Introduction

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML)  will consider oral arguments on whether to consolidate all Gadolinium Deposition Disease (GDD) lawsuits filed against the manufacturers of MRI contrast dyes for coordinated pretrial proceedings.

In a motion filed in July, plaintiffs' lawyers requested all gadolinium complaints pending in the federal court system be centralized in the Northern District of California. Each of the MRI contrast dye manufacturers has filed a response opposing the centralization process citing that there are too few plaintiffs’ law firms involved in the cases and too many different manufacturers to form a multidistrict litigation (MDL). Bayer Healthcare filed a supplemental response on September 20 in support of the motion and outlining arguments to be made during the upcoming hearing. The U.S. JPML  is set to hear oral arguments on the motions from several plaintiffs and manufacturers on September 27, at the Phillip Burton U.S. Courthouse in San Francisco.