Rogue Online Drugstores
July 29, 2004
In last month's newsletter, we looked at the problems posed by online pharmaceutical distributors that do not follow good pharmacy practice. These "rogue" pharmaceutical sites may be buying expired, substandard, contaminated or counterfeited products. Some sell without requiring customers to present prescriptions. The consumer may not be receiving proper medical oversight, which can result in administration of incorrect dosages, wrong or contraindicated drugs, or medication without adequate directions for use. These activities risk the reputations of pharmaceutical manufacturers and put them in greater peril of being sued by consumers whose adverse medical reactions could have been avoided. So, what can be done about it? Part Two of a Two-Part Article.
Reducing Frivolous Litigation
July 29, 2004
Frivolous lawsuits are one of the most problematic issues facing drug and medical device companies today. Many frivolous lawsuits are either ultimately dismissed for lack of causation after years of litigation and the expenditure of exorbitant sums of money in defense costs, or settled by corporations that are not culpable, but "litigation-weary." This waste of time and resources easily could be avoided if plaintiffs were required to submit an affidavit of merit with respect to product defect and/or causation at the inception of the case. Part One of a Two-Part Article.
Making the Case for the Benefits of Uniformity and Predictability
July 09, 2004
Uniformity and predictability are often lacking from judicial treatment of cases involving vicarious liability claims against franchisors, yet uniformity and predictability are the hallmarks of a successful franchise system, and the engines that have driven franchising to occupy such a prominent position in the domestic and worldwide economy.
A Primer on Insurance Options for Intellectual Property
July 02, 2004
In the last several years, a number of insurance companies including Chubb, AIG, InsureTrust (through Lloyd's of London), Venture Programs, Intellectual Property Risk Management ("IPRM"), and Litigation Risk Management, Inc. ("LRM") have begun offering insurance that pays costs associated with infringement of patents only, or infringement of some combination or all of patents, trademarks, trade dress, copyrights and trade secrets. For purposes of this article we will refer to these polices covering intellectual property as "IP infringement policies." IP infringement policies vary by carrier and property covered. The following descriptions are necessarily general.
Electronic Filing: Is Your Firm Prepared?
July 02, 2004
As increasing numbers of law firms realize the benefits of electronic filing. And as more and more courts encourage ' and in many cases mandate ' its use ' law firms are moving quickly to adopt practices in order to prepare for ' and take full advantage of ' the e-filing revolution.
Rogue Online Drugstores
June 29, 2004
Widespread use of the Internet is barely a decade old, and already its use and abuse have increased dramatically. While the Web provides companies with new outlets for their products, it also provides a larger outlet for rogue entities to harm the consumer and damage manufacturers' reputations. Indeed, the Internet has created an opportunity for a whole new class of fraudulent activity, with rampant identity theft the best known. In the context of drug outlets, if a purchaser buys his or her prescription from a "rogue" pharmaceutical site, that consumer may be buying expired, substandard, contaminated, counterfeited and, in some cases, unsafe products. The lack of medical oversight, which can result in administration of incorrect dosages, wrong or contra-indicated drugs, or medication without adequate directions for use are among the concerns to be addressed as we enter this new world of Internet pharmacies. Part One of a Two-Part Article.
Supreme Court Deals Blow to Malpractice Plaintiffs
June 28, 2004
In a disappointing decision for malpractice plaintiffs and their medical caregivers, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 21 that patients do not have a state law private right of action against their Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) when such entities make coverage decisions that impact the patient's health care. The decision means patients have little recourse against their HMOs, which under federal law are liable to plan beneficiaries only for the cost of services they wouldn't cover.
Avoiding Product Liability Traps in the New Dietary Supplement Regime
June 28, 2004
A year ago, manufacturers and marketers of dietary supplements benefited when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented a new regulation allowing such companies to make unproven health claims on their labels. Under the new relaxed FDA requirements regulating the marketing and promotion of dietary supplements, manufacturers have more leeway to tout the healthfulness of products by making "qualified health claims" on dietary supplement labels, even if there is no "significant scientific agreement" over the validity of these claims. Under the former policy, supplement manufacturers that had scientific support for their claims, but lacked conclusive evidence, were prohibited from marketing their potential health benefits, thus losing out on important marketing opportunities. The new, more flexible dietary supplement regime enables companies to market their products more aggressively and increase sales.
Legislative Solutions to Toxic Torts: Congress and the Thimerosal and Asbestos Litigations
June 28, 2004
It has been estimated that at least 600,000 people have brought asbestos-related personal injury suits. Typically, each plaintiff sues dozens of defendants, so the total volume of litigation has reached nearly astronomical proportions. The total amount spent on asbestos litigation (awards and expenses) to date is staggering and has been estimated to be on the order of $54 billion. Many critics have said that this litigation has been abused, leading to the enrichment of plaintiff lawyers at the expense of those actually injured by asbestos exposure. According to one study, only about 43% of total spending has reached the claimants as their net recovery. <i>See</i> Stephen Carroll, <i>et al</i>., <i>Asbestos Litigation Costs and Compensation: An Interim Report,</i> RAND Institute for Civil Justice, Santa Monica, Calif. (Sept. 2002). The RAND report is available at <i>www.rand.org/publications/DB/DB397.</i>
Practice Tip: Try Technology in Trying Cases
June 28, 2004
Today, television has become the dominant medium for the dissemination of information and entertainment, and the trial lawyer who ignores this basic reality of American life does so at significant peril to his or her case. The effective trial lawyer will continue to rely on the timeless tactics of credibility, emotional appeals, and logic. Nevertheless, in order to persuade a jury effectively, the trial lawyer must deliver the case themes and facts in a way that is consistent with how jurors process information in our high-technology age.
