Category: Valsartan

On April 24, 2019, the second Case Management Conference (CMC) in the Valsartan Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) before Judge Kugler in Camden, New Jersey was conducted. As part of the agenda, the Court sought to finalize the leadership structure for plaintiffs and defendants. Accordingly, partner, Stefanie Colella-Walsh, has been named as one of the attorneys on Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee.

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On March 27, 2019, the initial Case Management Conference for the Valsartan MDL was held in the District of New Jersey before the Honorable Robert B. Kugler. At the time that the cases were consolidated before Judge Kugler, for pretrial purposes, in February 2019, there were approximately 40 cases filed, but we expect thousands of cases to be filed over the next couple years.

Read More about Initial Court Conference Kicks Off Valsartan Litigation in New Jersey

You have seen a lot of commercials and have probably been searching the internet for some straightforward explanations about Valsartan Lawsuits.

Very simply, Valsartan (aka Diovan) is part of a class of drugs, including Losartan (aka Cozaar) and Irbesartan (aka Avapro), that are used in different combinations to treat heart failure, high blood pressure and certain effects of diabetes. The Valsartan drugs basically block a natural chemical in the body called angiotensin II, which can constrict a patient’s blood vessels and cause hypertension.

Read More about What Is the Deal With Valsartan Lawsuits?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned all imports of drugs and drug products from Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical, which manufactured valsartan, a high blood pressure medication that had a possible carcinogenic impurity.

In July 2018, the FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA) supported a voluntary recall of lots of the generic blood pressure drug valsartan after it was discovered that the drugs were tainted with N-nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA, which is an impurity that is considered a possible carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). NDMA can be unintentionally introduced into manufacturing through certain chemical reactions.

Read More about FDA Bans Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Import as Valsartan Recall Continues

A recent class action was filed in New York against the companies responsible for distributing or selling drugs containing tainted valsartan. The lawsuit, brought by a woman and her husband, alleges negligence, fraud, and manufacturing a defective product, among other claims. It is expected that personal injury claims may soon follow.

Read More about Valsartan Class Action Filed