Swanson v. Wyeth LLC et al

Filing 11

ORDER denying without prejudice Defendants' Motions for Judgment on the Pleadings. Plaintiffs are permitted to amend their individual complaints within 3 weeks of the date of this Order. Signed by Judge Billy Roy Wilson on 9/11/2012.(mcz)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS
WESTERN DIVISION

IN RE:
PREMPRO PRODUCTS LIABILITY
LITIGATION

:
:
:
:

MDL DOCKET NO. 4:03-CV-1507-BRW

ALL CASES

ORDER
Pending are Defendants’ Motions for Judgment on the Pleadings (Doc. Nos. 3082, 3087).
Plaintiffs have responded1 and Defendants have replied.2 The parties presented oral argument at
a July 20, 2012 hearing.3
Defendants, manufacturers of generic hormone replacement drugs, assert that PLIVA,
Inc. v. Mensing,4 preempts any strict liability failure to warn claim against Defendants.
Additionally, Defendants contend that the reasoning in Mensing would foreclose any design
defect claims. Plaintiffs disagree, and request that, at the very least, they be permitted to amend
their complaints.
At this point, it seems to me that permitting the plaintiffs leave to amend their complaints
is reasonable. Accordingly, the plaintiffs whose cases are listed in Exhibit A must amend their
complaints within three weeks of the date of this Order -- this is plenty of time considering that
the request to amend complaints should have been made months, if not years, ago.
After a cursory review of several of the complaints in these cases, it appears that many
make only basic failure to warn claims and are devoid of the claims Plaintiffs’ counsel posited at

1

Doc. Nos. 3094, 3095.

2

Doc. No. 3102.

3

Doc. No. 3106.

4

131 S. Ct. 2567 (2011).
1

the July 20, 2012 hearing. If a plaintiff does not amend her complaint by the deadline,
Defendants may refile their motion for judgment on the pleadings in the individual case. Word to
the wise: If a plaintiff fails to amend her complaint, and Defendants again seek dismissal, it is
unlikely that I will again allow the plaintiff leave to amend her complaint.
Additionally, each amended complaint must set out, in plenary detail, the factual basis for
the plaintiff’s claims. For example, if the plaintiff is asserting “off-label promotion,” the
complaint must set out sufficient facts to support this claim. In other words, the specific who,
what, when, and where will be required (considering that Plaintiffs have been accumulating
discovery against Defendants for nearly 10 years, this requirement is reasonable). Each plaintiff
also will be required to show, with specificity, how she was directly affected by each
Defendant’s conduct. Generally claiming that Defendants practiced “off-label promotion” will
be considered insufficient, and may result in dismissal of the case.
CONCLUSION
Based on the findings of fact and conclusions of law above, Defendants’ Motions for
Judgment on the Pleadings (Doc. Nos. 3082, 3087) are DENIED without prejudice. Plaintiffs
are permitted to amend their individual complaints as set out above.
IT IS SO ORDERED this 11th day of September, 2012.
/s/ Billy Roy Wilson
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

2

EXHIBIT A
Scott, Patsy
Lund, Judy
Gallegos, Margaret
Mesojedec, Ann Marie
Brown, Nona

3:07-CV-00147
4:04-CV-00717
4:04-CV-00723
4:04-CV-00809
4:04-CV-00816

Glier, Nancy
Watson, Patricia
Jenkins, Linda
Lopez, Amada
Trinnaman, Mary

4:04-CV-00899
4:04-CV-00938
4:04-CV-00996
4:04-CV-01068
4:04-CV-01071

Alexander, Janet
Cheltra, Denise M.
Anderson, Darlene Kay
Barnard, Avis
Trommer, Edith

4:04-CV-01223
4:04-CV-01294
4:04-CV-01297
4:04-CV-01308
4:04-CV-01620

Kiss, Marie S.
Griggs, Esther R.
Tsubota, Elaine
Baker, Carol
Newman, Beverly

4:04-CV-01863
4:04-CV-01959
4:04-CV-02212
4:04-CV-02256
4:04-CV-02316

Clouser, Mary J.
Lawson, Barbara
Lee, Darlene
Herman, Linda
Dye, Susan

4:05-CV-00075
4:05-CV-00077, 4:11-CV-00101
4:05-CV-00146
4:05-CV-00167
4:05-CV-00195

Posey, Janelle
Palomo, Olivia
Indyk, Rebeca
McMurray, Elaine
Daly, Eleanor

4:05-CV-00206
4:05-CV-00253
4:05-CV-00380
4:05-CV-00382
4:05-CV-00396

Shareff, Karen
Weissmer, Willa
Mullikin, Virginia
Pannell, Deborah
Strickland, Sandra

4:05-CV-00406
4:05-CV-00423
4:05-CV-00427
4:05-CV-00498
4:05-CV-00530

Burbridge, Pat
Toomey, Janet
Andenoro, Janice
Paquin, Ethel
Campbell, Delores

4:05-CV-00544
4:05-CV-00549
4:05-CV-00558
4:05-CV-00598; 4:08-CV-01833
4:05-CV-00614
3

Thompson, Gaye
Nickle, Lovena
Spicer, Barbara A.
Cummings, Morene
McCormack, Nancy

4:05-CV-00651
4:05-CV-00657
4:05-CV-00697
4:05-CV-00798
4:05-CV-00800

Weaver, Mary Jo
Mason, Barbara
Amdur, Patricia
Wilkerson, Shirley
Shea, Kathryn

4:05-CV-00810
4:05-CV-00832
4:05-CV-00841
4:05-CV-00910
4:05-CV-00969

Higginbotham, Carla
Douglass, Barbara Louise
Nikolchev, Grigorina
Anderson, Irene
Schoenberg, Carol

4:05-CV-00974
4:05-CV-01133
4:05-CV-01245
4:05-CV-01246
4:05-CV-01248

Cain, Helen
Smith, Jo Ann
Byrd, Laura
Moisi, Rose
Anderson, Barbara

4:05-CV-01366
4:05-CV-01378
4:05-CV-01402
4:05-CV-01404
4:05-CV-01408

Bowling, Virginia
Roth, Laura
Steinert, Minnie
Beaver, Eula M.
Miller, Doris

4:05-CV-01433
4:05-CV-01446
4:05-CV-01516
4:05-CV-01573
4:05-CV-01575

Blanco, Mercedes G.
Perotti, Deborah
South, Mary
Clark, Sylvia E.
Keener, Norma

4:05-CV-01620
4:05-CV-01633
4:05-CV-01680
4:05-CV-01754
4:05-CV-01793

Kamsch, Carole
Vernon, Beverly
Moore, Barbara J.
Johnson, Deborah E.
Smith, Helga K.

4:05-CV-01803
4:05-CV-01858
4:05-CV-01866
4:05-CV-01896
4:05-CV-01909

Robertson, Darline J.
Quinn, Marjorie A.
Hinkle, Joy
Gorski, Virginia
Cantwell, Lynn

4:06-CV-00001
4:06-CV-00050
4:06-CV-00079
4:06-CV-00110
4:06-CV-00121
4

Giambrone, Patti H.
Engle, Connie
Merricks, Lillian P.
Wilson, Sharon
Ridgeway, Ann

4:06-CV-00160
4:06-CV-00228
4:06-CV-00233
4:06-CV-00240
4:06-CV-00294

Ford, Linda
Brooks, Marilyn
Dudley, Ann
Stark, Audrey A.
Baker, Jacqueline

4:06-CV-00384
4:06-CV-00403
4:06-CV-00430
4:06-CV-00435
4:06-CV-00441

Trautman, Janet
Plowman, Joyce
Bolton, Barbara
Norwood, Keith Hunter
Abbey, Francine

4:06-CV-00442
4:06-CV-00443
4:06-CV-00493
4:06-CV-00517
4:06-CV-00537

Pick, Roslyn
Broussard, Angela
Briscoe, Brenda Kaye
Guillot, Claudia
Barr, Rebecca

4:06-CV-00581
4:06-CV-00636
4:06-CV-00661
4:06-CV-00697
4:06-CV-00704

Mahoney, Julia
Moffett, Linda W.
Kell, Rayjeana
Naquin, Carol
Flint, Mary Jo

4:06-CV-00714
4:06-CV-00722
4:06-CV-00772
4:06-CV-00784
4:06-CV-00793

Thomas, Jo Anne
Goldberg, Marlene
Stepp, Onie Lorene
Calhoun, Sharon
Russell, Barbara

4:06-CV-00800
4:06-CV-00821
4:06-CV-00873
4:06-CV-00878
4:06-CV-00879

Pinkerton, Bertha L.
Lyons, Mary
Wright, Bertha Lee
Harrison, Carolyn
Rosenberry, Mary Verna

4:06-CV-00881
4:06-CV-00916
4:06-CV-00938
4:06-CV-00940
4:06-CV-00959

Durain, Wanda
Duncan, Arizona L.
Black, Karen A.
Goodman, Donna K.
Brownewell, Dorothy

4:06-CV-00988
4:06-CV-00993
4:06-CV-01022
4:06-CV-01048
4:06-CV-01049
5

White-Brown, Margaret D.
Wojcik, Rosemary S.
Cavaliere, Geraldine
Burton, Mary Lou
Richardson, Lucille

4:06-CV-01120
4:06-CV-01127
4:06-CV-01165
4:06-CV-01186
4:06-CV-01193

Willenbrock, Darylle D.
Campbell, Sylvia
Cagle, Theda
Campbell, Bonnie
Bradley, Mary

4:06-CV-01200
4:06-CV-01219
4:06-CV-01220
4:06-CV-01222
4:06-CV-01224

Fortner, Doris
Derefield, Pamela S.
Mallin, Beverly
Hinton, Sarah A.
Kinser, Frances

4:06-CV-01252
4:06-CV-01260
4:06-CV-01282
4:06-CV-01324
4:06-CV-01339

Clement, Joyce
Martin, Elizabeth A.
Bikos, Bonnie
Puzzuole, Margaret
Sponza, Regina

4:06-CV-01345
4:06-CV-01389
4:06-CV-01392
4:06-CV-01398
4:06-CV-01399

Hunter, Shirley A.
Kagay, Joyce
Anthony, Sandra
Zimmerman, Joyce
Johnson, Sherry

4:06-CV-01403
4:06-CV-01431
4:06-CV-01433
4:06-CV-01438
4:06-CV-01443

Neubarth, Marie
Frank, Francis, Jr.
Roseman, Charlotte
Rosenbloom, Susan
Balis, Nancy A.

4:06-CV-01455
4:06-CV-01474
4:06-CV-01488
4:06-CV-01502
4:06-CV-01506

Schultz, Marilyn
Morgan, Alice
Sayers, Marjorie
Koch, Dorothy J.
Orgel, Lynne

4:06-CV-01516
4:06-CV-01555
4:06-CV-01564
4:06-CV-01617
4:06-CV-01645

Chambers, Zona
Rittenberry, Linda
Burbach, Julaine
Tipton, Janice
Hagstrand, Janet L.

4:06-CV-01650
4:06-CV-01679
4:06-CV-01696
4:06-CV-01700
4:06-CV-01712
6

Prickett, Judy C.
Strickland, Anne J.
Williams, Sharon J.
Kidd, Judith R.
Simpson, Arleane

4:07-CV-00090
4:07-CV-00093
4:07-CV-00095
4:07-CV-00100
4:07-CV-00126

McKnight, Marilyn
Battiste, Thelma
Lonsiak, Kathleen
Regan, Peggy
Spangler, Edith

4:07-CV-00156
4:07-CV-00189
4:07-CV-00211
4:07-CV-00232
4:07-CV-00251

Payne, Patricia Ann
Lopez, Melissa
Anderson, Carolyn
Snyder, Debbie
Tangman, Frances

4:07-CV-00321
4:07-CV-00323
4:07-CV-00332
4:07-CV-00340
4:07-CV-00419

Williams, Christine S.
McCune, Lavon
Kota, Miriam
Nussbaum, Gale
Harding, Joann D.

4:07-CV-00427
4:07-CV-00430
4:07-CV-00467
4:07-CV-00469
4:07-CV-00478

Dale, Jane R.
Kirschstein, Janet
McMichael, Linda
Irwin, Vivian
Stolbun, Judith Greer

4:07-CV-00558
4:07-CV-00653
4:07-CV-00655
4:07-CV-00731
4:07-CV-00816

Mills, Stanley
Scott, Toni
Turner, Mildred
Miller, Joan P.
Payne, Patty

4:07-CV-00884
4:07-CV-01078
4:08-CV-00035
4:08-CV-00062
4:08-CV-00185

Johnson, Eloise
Kielty, Cheryl
Smylie, Carol
Okon, Marilyn
Jewell, Paula

4:08-CV-00290
4:08-CV-00402
4:08-CV-00443
4:08-CV-00462
4:08-CV-00617

Draper, Helen
Amador, Silvia
Barnes, Marita A.
Chen, Margaret L.
Archbold, Sharon

4:08-CV-00699
4:08-CV-00779
4:08-CV-00864
4:08-CV-01268
4:08-CV-01288
7

Fisher, Terri L.
Peterson, Sandra
Shanle, Sheila
Reddy, Jeanne Marie
Redman, Virginia

4:08-CV-01393
4:08-CV-01687
4:08-CV-01793
4:08-CV-01811
4:08-CV-01816

Weaver, Brenda
Nichols, Linda
Costa, Frances
Shuckhart, Mary
Weaver, Rise L.

4:08-CV-01848
4:08-CV-01856
4:08-CV-01860
4:08-CV-01876
4:08-CV-01999

Blaisdell, Norman
Marshall, Valerie A.
Weaver, Rita
Kropf, Karen Leanne
McCarthy, Cynthia

4:08-CV-02116
4:08-CV-02188
4:08-CV-02313
4:08-CV-02314
4:08-CV-02388

Cook, Carol L.
Jenkins, Gwendolyn
Barnett, Jacklynn
Sands, Joyce
Geiser, Dorothy

4:08-CV-02413
4:08-CV-02514
4:08-CV-02695
4:08-CV-02745
4:08-CV-02787

Schlenk, Lois
Estell, Shirley
Reed, Mae Frances
Bumpas, Vickie E.
Johann, Apollonia

4:08-CV-02796
4:08-CV-03119
4:08-CV-03121; 4:09-cv-00132
4:08-CV-03167
4:08-CV-03178

Beaver, Donna
McLain, Judy
Haupert, Karen
Weinfurtner, Carol
Kaiser, Barbara J.

4:08-CV-03204
4:08-CV-03207
4:08-CV-03211
4:08-CV-03213
4:08-CV-03237

Crestelle, Carole
Jones, Sharon Lee
Hill, Jeanne
Kurinko, Ann Marie
Blattl, Kurt

4:08-CV-03333
4:08-CV-03338
4:08-CV-03339
4:08-CV-03340
4:08-CV-03358

Hicks, Mary E.
Woods, Dorothy
Finn, Kathleen
Morgan, Nancy
Alvarran, Bonnie

4:08-CV-03523
4:08-CV-03548
4:08-CV-03560
4:08-CV-03572
4:08-CV-03631
8

Sanford, Glenda
Burton, Sharon
Carter, Linda
Hennin, Pat
Cornell, Nancy

4:08-CV-03671
4:08-CV-03677
4:08-CV-03690
4:08-CV-03699
4:08-CV-03723

Goodman, Lorraine
Humphreys, Nancy
Mayo, Mary
Roy, Thelma
Saunders, Doris

4:08-CV-03777
4:08-CV-03833
4:08-CV-03905
4:08-CV-03913
4:08-CV-03923

Scarbro, Frances
Scott, Minnie
Mitchell, Iva
Utt, Brenda
Poe, Sharon

4:08-CV-03927
4:08-CV-03932
4:08-CV-03985
4:08-CV-04017
4:08-CV-04087

Midili, Denise
Huff, Beverly C.
Frambs, Geraldyne
Mackiewicz, Kerma
Whatley, Ernest Joe

4:09-CV-00059
4:09-CV-00103
4:09-CV-00741
4:09-CV-00748
4:10-CV-00128

Cox, Marsha
Turk, Jean
Banks, Linda
Steele, Carolyn
Bledsoe, Shirley

4:10-CV-00285
4:10-CV-00291
4:10-CV-00350
4:10-CV-00370
4:10-CV-00421

Plain, Diane
Langren, Roberta
Knutson, Linda
Slaton, Mary
Baker, Mary

4:10-CV-00435
4:10-CV-00438
4:10-CV-00457
4:10-CV-00461
4:10-CV-00464

Green, Kenneth
Hart, Marlene
Evosevich, Felecisima
Walton, Doris
Geneve, Barbara

4:10-CV-00465
4:10-CV-00475
4:10-CV-00478
4:10-CV-00505
4:10-CV-00542

Williams, Lucille
Hansmann, Kathleen
Lopez, Delfina
Kerns, Margie
Krcmarik, Janet

4:10-CV-00569
4:10-CV-00578
4:10-CV-00587
4:10-CV-00600
4:10-CV-00601
9

Oberg, Jeanne
Sargent, Patricia
Walther, Rose
Sundall, Kathleen
Ely, Carol

4:10-CV-00602
4:10-CV-00605
4:10-CV-00609
4:10-CV-00611
4:10-CV-00619

Vincent, Sandra
Lindsay, Helen
Winfield, Cynthia
Mehr, Jeanette
Erickson, Roberta

4:10-CV-00620
4:10-CV-00626
4:10-CV-00629
4:10-CV-00632
4:10-CV-00649

Wilson, Evie
Foster, Thressa
Garcia, Gloria
Genco, Lucille
Ferguson, Sandra

4:10-CV-00656
4:10-CV-00669
4:10-CV-00681
4:10-CV-00682
4:10-CV-00683

Bell, Greg
Clausen, Lois
McGilvray, Anne
King, Marilyn
Grossman, Herbert

4:10-CV-00685
4:10-CV-00687
4:10-CV-00782
4:10-CV-00792
4:10-CV-00797

Cox, Carolyn
Hagle, Irene
Swanson, Mary
Johnson, Barbara
Fornberg, Loretta

4:10-CV-00798
4:10-CV-00805
4:10-CV-00813
4:10-CV-00817
4:10-CV-00818

Kirchhoff, Rose
Holden, Kathleen
Cassidy, Theresa
Sivils, Sharon
Tallent, Patricia

4:10-CV-00823
4:10-CV-00827
4:10-CV-00828
4:10-CV-00830
4:10-CV-00839

Beedle, Joyce
Bolster, Sharon
Allgood, Tanya
Sedwick, Mary
Wille, Lois

4:10-CV-00842
4:10-CV-00846
4:10-CV-00848
4:10-CV-00871
4:10-CV-00886

Brandt, Judith
Gouge, Delores
Jacquemart, Sharron
Bussart, Norma
Moore, John

4:10-CV-00890
4:10-CV-00891
4:10-CV-00912
4:10-CV-00921
4:10-CV-00922
10

Meranto, Oneida
Fields, Dorothy
Gordon, Sharon
Wood, Ann M.
Mangan, Beverly

4:10-CV-00923
4:10-CV-00926
4:10-CV-00933
4:10-CV-00935
4:10-CV-00941

Provasnik, Judith
Anglin, Linda
Dahlman, Emma Louise
Weddle, Georganne
Raatz, Dixie

4:10-CV-00955
4:10-CV-00988
4:10-CV-00989
4:10-CV-00992
4:10-CV-01018

Marcus, Sandra
Beylen, Joan
Contreras, Sandra
Howard, Carolyn
Stanionis, Lee

4:10-CV-01021
4:10-CV-01029
4:10-CV-01030
4:10-CV-01034
4:10-CV-01035

Gilmore, Sheila
Crane, Livia Salazar
Sherril, Janie
Grossman, Shirley
Meiller, Jean

4:10-CV-01039
4:10-CV-01040
4:10-CV-01041
4:10-CV-01042
4:10-CV-01046

Sain, Sudarshain
Struckmann, Jean A.
Knobel-Besa, Penny
Dasen, Paula
Denney, Marge

4:10-CV-01060
4:10-CV-01061
4:10-CV-01063
4:10-CV-01080
4:10-CV-01212

Guerra, Rosemary
Owen, Joyce
Wynkoop, Joanne
Martin, Rose
Owens, Evelyn

4:10-CV-01214
4:10-CV-01236
4:10-CV-01239
4:10-CV-01241
4:10-CV-01267

Mosely, Patty Ann
Thomas, Sharon
Trout, Geraldine
Onody, Marilyn
Krueger, Ruth

4:10-CV-01272
4:10-CV-01286
4:10-CV-01289
4:10-CV-01298
4:10-CV-01306

Friedberg, Carolyn
DeBell, Alma
Miner, Nola Jean
Facer, Kelleen
Funk, Judith

4:10-CV-01313
4:10-CV-01317
4:10-CV-01324
4:10-CV-01347
4:10-CV-01351
11

Zand, Tabandeh
Peterson, Darlene
Unlandt, Leena
Hudman, Dorothy M.
Williams, Mary Ann

4:10-CV-01360
4:10-CV-01363
4:10-CV-01428
4:10-CV-01576
4:10-CV-01583

Lininger, Linda
Polk, Geneva
Nichols, Ginger G.
Ryan, Faye
Rackle, Karen

4:10-CV-01617
4:10-CV-01618
4:10-CV-01620
4:10-CV-01625
4:10-CV-01627

Robbins, Ruby
Pitsinger, Muriel
Gattis, Melissa
Weber, Jane S.
Belnap, Gary

4:10-CV-01676
4:10-CV-01701
4:10-CV-02020
4:10-CV-02049
4:10-CV-02074

Westerfield, Arlene
Boles, Dorothy
Eden, Barbara
Grobstein, Elaine
Hruska, Judith

4:10-CV-02081
4:11-CV-00096
4:11-CV-00097
4:11-CV-00098
4:11-CV-00100

Clark, Charlotte A.
Johnson, Carole
Weiford, Marjorie
Fields, Jo Ann
Monroe, Rosie

4:11-CV-00109
4:11-CV-00110
4:11-CV-00111
4:11-CV-00113
4:11-CV-00131

Terry, Carol Jane
Whatley, Dolores
Weymouth, Genevieve
Mari, Linda
Riegle, Virginia A.

4:11-CV-00132
4:11-CV-00203
4:11-CV-00293
4:11-CV-00322
4:11-CV-00787

Cline, Carolyn

4:12-CV-00340

12