New Case Management Order for Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuits

New Case Management Order for Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuits

Introduction

A new case management order has been released by the federal court overseeing nearly 522 plus proton pump inhibitor (PPI) lawsuits. The drugs in question include Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix, and others. The plaintiffs allege that PPIs cause kidney injuries including acute interstitial nephritis, chronic kidney disease, and end-stage renal disease. The PPI lawsuits have been centralized in the District of New Jersey before Judge Claire C. Cecchi for coordinated pretrial proceedings.

The new case management order released on February 5, communicates among other things, the form, procedure, and schedule for the completion and service of Plaintiff Fact Sheets (PFS). Each plaintiff involved in this litigation is expected to submit a PFS that is “substantially complete in all respects.” Plaintiffs whose lawsuits are currently pending have 120 days from the date of the Order to serve their respective PFS and duly executed authorizations, with the relevant documentation attached.

Plaintiffs who file or have PPI lawsuits transferred to the MDL in the future have 90 days from the date of service of the first Short Form Answer received and filed by a defendant.

The defendants are AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Procter & Gamble Co., McKesson Corp., Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., Pfizer Inc., and Pfizer subsidiary Wyeth.

Further, a growing number of lawsuits continue to join the Proton Pump Inhibitor MDL; each allegation holds the drug manufacturers responsible for withholding information about the risks associated with long-term use of the medications.