In the evolving universe of multidistrict litigation, begun in the antitrust cases against major electronics manufacturers in the 1960s, federal courts have developed varying approaches to fulfilling their responsibilities to achieve efficiency and reduce costs. This process continues today almost 60 years since the creation of the first MDL. Read the Law360 article by Alan Klein and William R. Heaston on the Duane Morris website.
Order Requires Disclosure of 3rd Party Funding Information in Zantac MDL
On April 3, 2020, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued an order in the pending Zantac multidistrict litigation (”MDL”) requiring disclosure of funding arrangements and funding documentation between plaintiffs’ counsel and third-party litigation financiers. This order represents some increased traction in favor of arguments seeking to require disclosure of third-party funding arrangements in MDLs.
The Zantac MDL, In re Zantac (Ranitidine) Prods. Liab. Litig., MDL No. 2924, was originally formed by the Judicial Panel for Multidistrict Litigation on February 6, 2020. The plaintiffs sued various defendants, including manufacturer Sanofi and its distributors, alleging that the active ingredient in the heartburn medication Zantac breaks down to form a carcinogen that caused personal injuries. Included in the MDL are also six putative classes of consumers who sought refunds and economic damages based on their purchase of Zantac. Due to a number of actions already pending in the Southern District of Florida, the Panel transferred the remaining actions to that court to be assigned to the Honorable Robin L. Rosenberg.
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