Hudson v. Pfizer Inc. et al

Filing 13

ORDER signed by Chief District Judge Troy L. Nunley on 1/3/2025 STAYING this action through 2/28/2025 or until the JPML decides the Petition. (Deputy Clerk RRB)

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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JENNIFER HUDSON,

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Case No. 2:24-cv-03441-TLN-SCR

Plaintiff,

ORDER GRANTING JOINT
STIPULATION TO STAY ACTION

v.

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PFIZER INC., VIATRIS INC., GREENSTONE
LLC, PRASCOLABS, PHARMACIA &
UPJOHN; and DOES 1 through 50, Inclusive,

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Defendants.

Complaint Filed: December 11, 2024
Trial Date: None set

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ORDER TO STAY ACTION
2:24-CV-03441

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Before the Court is the stipulation of Jennifer Hudson (“Plaintiff”) and Defendants Pfizer

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Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, Prasco, LLC d/b/a Prasco Laboratories, Viatris Inc., and

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Greenstone LLC (“Defendants”), to stay this action.

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On November 26, 2024, certain plaintiffs filed a petition with the Judicial Panel on

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Multidistrict Litigation (“JPML”) to centralize this and other cases in which plaintiffs allege

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personal injuries relating to the use of Depo-Provera, into a Multidistrict Litigation (“MDL”) (the

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“Petition”). The JPML has set the Petition for a hearing on January 30, 2025, and is expected to

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decide the Petition in early February 2025. The parties seek a stay of this case through February

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28, 2025, or until the Petition is decided, whichever is sooner. Courts routinely find good cause to

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stay a case during the pendency of a JPML petition. E.g., Romine v. Pfizer Inc., et al., No. 1:24-

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cv-01446, ECF No. 15 (E.D. Cal. Dec. 20, 2024); Silber v. Davol Inc., No. 1:18-cv-00479, 2018

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WL 10323817, at *1 (E.D. Cal. June 18, 2018) (“Cases such as this are frequently stayed pending

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the outcome of pending transfer petitions before the MDL panel.”); Stark v. McKesson Corp., No.

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2:17-cv-00095, 2017 WL 1153135, at *3 (E.D. Cal. Mar. 28, 2017); Sprint Commc'ns Co. L.P. v.

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Pac. Bell Tel. Co., No. 2:14-cv-01257, 2014 WL 7239474, at *2 (E.D. Cal. Dec. 16, 2014).

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Accordingly, the Court finds good cause for the stipulation and hereby GRANTS the

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stipulation. This action shall be stayed through February 28, 2025 or until the JPML decides the

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Petition, whichever is sooner. On February 28, 2025, if this action is not transferred to an MDL

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proceeding, the parties shall file a joint status update. If the Petition is denied, Defendants shall

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have through and until 21 days after the JPML rules on the anticipated JPML petition to respond to

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the Complaint.

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Dated: January 3, 2025

____________________________
Troy L. Nunley
Chief United States District Judge

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ORDER TO STAY ACTION
2:24-CV-03441