As per a proposed joint agenda submitted on October 9, Judge Richard Seeborg overlooking the Viagra and Cialis multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 2691; In Re: Viagra and Cialis Products Liability Litigation) announced to meet attorneys this week for a case management conference. The conference is planned to review the bellwether trial schedule and provide an update on the litigation status for claims filed by men diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer due to the alleged use of the popular erectile dysfunction drugs.
The conference would also consider a briefing proposal for challenges to the admissibility of the expert witnesses. A series of early bellwether trials are expected to be held for coordinated pretrial proceedings. Ahead of the case management conference, the parties are required to submit an agreed-upon pretrial order which would be used in the completion and execution of Plaintiff Fact Sheets (PFS), along with case specific-discovery and release of plaintiffs' records.
About 865 product liability lawsuits are pending against the manufacturers of these drugs. Each of the lawsuits raises similar allegation that an adequate warning was not sent out to alert consumers about the devastating and life-threatening side- effects of Viagra and Cialis.
