Valsartan Plaintiffs Must Submit Plaintiff Fact Sheet
The judge presiding over all federal valsartan lawsuits now orders each individual valsartan claim to submit a Plaintiff Fact Sheet (PFS) in the valsartan multidistrict litigation (MDL). The Plaintiff Fact Sheet allows valsartan plaintiffs to provide case-specific information about their valsartan cancer diagnoses and exposure.
Currently over 130 valsartan cancer lawsuits and class action claims are pending in the federal court system. These claims are currently centralized in a multidistrict litigation in the District of New jersey before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler.
Each lawsuit raises similar claims that valsartan manufacturers distributed pills contaminated with dangerous probable carcinogens. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) have been found by the FDA to increase the likelihood of users getting cancer.
Valsartan lawsuits filed across the country claim their use of toxic valsartan pills contributed to their cancer diagnoses. Plaintiffs claim cancers including liver cancer, small intestine cancer, stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and prostate cancers among others.
Judge Kugler released the PFS update in a case management order released Thursday. Judge Kugler ordered for the use of a PFS to help ease the exchange of information about each valsartan claim. Each individual who has already completed and filed the Short Form Complaint in the valsartan multidistrict litigation must complete a PFS within 90 days. This order includes individuals diagnosed with valsartan-caused cancer, those seeking medical monitoring through class action claims, and individuals claiming other economic losses from valsartan use.
Many anticipate Judge Kugler to establish a “bellwether” trial process as part of the coordinated pretrial proceedings. As part of this process, parties will use the PFS information to select a representative group of valsartan cases. These valsartan lawsuits would be prepared for early trial dates as part of the valsartan multidistrict litigation.
