San Diego, CA (PRWEB) October 30, 2013
http://www.resource4thepeople.com/defectivedrugs/nuvaring.html
Resource4thePeople today announced new developments involving NuvaRing lawsuits alleging that women who used the popular contraceptive NuvaRing suffered serious blood-clotting problems.
"In our latest consumer update we are reporting that the number of lawsuits* consolidated before a federal judge involving allegations that the use of the NuvaRing contraceptive can lead to serious clotting problems has continued to increase," said Resource4thePeople.
"This increase parallels the rising number of inquiries we have received from consumers seeking legal options to seek compensation over these allegations. Therefore, our national network of attorneys will continue to offer free consultations about these legal options."
The increase in the number of federal NuvaRing lawsuits alleging clotting problems from across the country being overseen by a U.S. District Court judge in Missouri was documented in the latest federal court reporting period.
The U.S. Panel on Multidistrict Litigation reported that there are now 1,421 NuvaRing lawsuits** consolidated before Judge Rodney W. Sippel in the Eastern District of Missouri. The latest reporting period ended Oct. 7, 2013.
"This is an increase of 81 cases over the last reporting period ending Sept. 11, 2013 and shows that more women are coming forward with allegations involving serious health issues they are attributing to the use of the NuvaRing contraceptive," said Resource4thePeople.
"We are recommending that when families seek information about their legal rights over these allegations they do so from lawyers such as ours who have specific experience in aggressively pursuing the rights of consumers in this specialized area of litigation."
Judge Sippel, has scheduled the first bellwether trial from this litigation to be held Jan. 27, 2013, according to the court file. Such cases are chosen from the pool of lawsuits to serve as test cases in which lawyers from both sides may test the strengths and weaknesses of their cases.
"This trial and others to follow will allow the facts of these allegations to be presented to juries and move this litigation involving claims of life-threatening blood-clotting problems forward," said Resource4thePeople.
"As these cases proceed consumers still enjoy their rights to seek all possible legal advice and advance with the claims that they may have involving similar blood-clotting allegations.
"However, there is always the possibility of legal time limits being involved so our recommendation is to contact us as soon as possible in order to protect all legal options," said Resource4thePeople.
Judge Sippel also has scheduled a key hearing in the consolidated legislation that is scheduled for Nov. 6, 2013 in Courtroom 16 South in the courthouse in St. Louis, Missouri.
Lawyers for both the plaintiffs and the defendants are scheduled to participated in this case management conference and brief the judge in the latest developments in pre-trial evidence-gathering and other matters.
The common allegations in the consolidated federal NuvaRing lawsuits are summed up on the court’s multidistrict litigation web site and include the following language:
“NuvaRing is a prescription contraceptive device used by women throughout the United States. The individual plaintiffs in this matter claim that use of NuvaRing caused them injuries. They have filed suit in several state and federal courts alleging that the manufacturer of NuvaRing failed to adequately warn of the risks associated with the use of the product, and/or that the NuvaRing product is otherwise defective and unreasonably dangerous.”*
As this litigation progresses, other NuvaRing lawsuits continue to be filed, including one by lawyers for a California woman who, according to the complaint**** she filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, attributes a serious blood-clotting problem to her use of the NuvaRing contraceptive.
The California woman's lawsuit also alleges that the manufacturers of the contraceptive were aware that the NuvaRing put women at greater risk of suffering blood clots but failed to adequately inform consumers and government regulators.
In addition to the federal consolidated lawsuits, over 200 such state court cases are under the supervision of a judge in New Jersey Superior Court, where another multidistrict litigation***** is underway.
Named as defendants in these litigations are Organon Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., Organon International Inc. and Schering-Plough Corp., who, according to the court file, allegedly falsely marketed and sold the NuvaRing as a safe, efficient alternative to birth control pills.
The NuvaRing was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001 after being created by Organon as a flexible IUD, or ring, hence the name. The IUD releases a low dose of etonogestrel and estrogen over three weeks, providing women the flexibility of a monthly contraceptive.
On Oct. 27, 2011 the FDA released the findings of government research that put women who used the NuvaRing or other IUDs with a similar mixture of hormones at a 56 percent higher risk of suffering blood clotting that led to deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms than women on birth control pills.******
Resource4thePeople also notes that NuvaRing has now posted a warning about the increased risks of suffering blood clots on the company’s web site under the heading of “IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION."*******
Sources:
*In re: NuvaRing Products Liability Litigation, No. 08-md-1964, JPML, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
**http://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/Pending_MDL_Dockets_By_District-October-17-2013.pdf
***Preather v. Organon, 4:08cv558RWS, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
****Case # 2:2013cv04195, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
***** In Re NuvaRing Litigation, Docket No. BER-L-3081-09, Bergen County, New Jersey Superior Court
******http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM277384.pdf FDA Oct. 27, 2011
*******http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/index.asp