Like the radio stations of yore did with songs, we offer up two related posts back-to-back instead of the usual one. We cannot offer a “favorite artist” as the source of consecutive songs, we offer two posts that relate to the legal implications of some of the typical things that FDA does and has been
over the counter
Jingle Jangle, California OTC Preemption

It’s the holiday season, and we’re getting in the festive spirit. We like old-school jingle in our jangle (even though that’s not necessarily holiday themed), more recent, unquestionably holiday-focused jingle jangle, and even first-gift of Christmas jingle, But there may be nothing more festive than a rock-solid preemption win—particularly one from California. We think this one will put a spring in your step and a sparkle in your smile. Continue Reading Jingle Jangle, California OTC Preemption
C.D. Cal. Dismisses Acne OTC/Benzene Claims as Preempted

It might seem that we talk about preemption incessantly on this blog, but a pretty good opinion from a pretty important jurisdiction went unremarked by us last September. We’ll rectify that right now. Call it an end of year clean up session.
The decision in Howard v. Alchemee, LLC, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 169359…
Money for Nothing? In an About Face, This Time the Third Circuit Said “Yes”

In 2018, our blogpost on In re Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Marketing, Sales Practices & Liability Litigation, 903 F.3d 278 (3d Cir. 2018), was entitled “Money For Nothing? No Standing This Time in the Third Circuit.” There, it appeared that the Third Circuit had drawn an eminently reasonable bright line disallowing no-injury…
Consumer Fraud Case Against “Non-Drowsy” Cough Syrup Sleepwalks Past Preemption
Class Complaint Fails in OTC Drug MDL

When it comes to MDLs that concern a bunch of cases about a drug or device, they typically have a name like “In re [name of product(s)] Product Liability Litigation” or “In re [name of product(s) Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation.” In theory, the first group of MDLs involves, shockingly, product…
Drowsy Cold Medicine Consumer Fraud Case Sleepwalks Past Preemption

Long ago, a senior partner told us that clear writing flows from clear thinking. That might be so, but clear thinking and clear writing do not necessarily produce the correct result. For example, you’d have a tough time finding a legal opinion written more clearly than Calchi v. Topco Assocs., LLC, 2024 U.S. Dist.
Another Preemption Win Involving An Economic Loss Class Action And An OTC Drug

As regular blog readers know, we love a clean grant of a motion to dismiss on preemption grounds. They are relatively common, so it sometimes puzzles us that the plaintiffs’ bar keeps filing plainly preempted claims.
Perhaps some of these plainly preempted lawsuits get filed because the express preemption provision of the FDCA related to…
Pennsylvania Federal Court Holds Online Marketplace Has No Duty to Inspect Goods

Although today’s decision involves a medical product, it focuses on an online marketplace rather than a drug or device manufacturer. And by online marketplace we mean the delivery service that has become ubiquitous in almost all of our lives—Amazon. The decision is significant because it finds Amazon, as a shipper rather than a seller, does not have an independent duty to investigate risks of the products it ships.Continue Reading Pennsylvania Federal Court Holds Online Marketplace Has No Duty to Inspect Goods
Questionable California Cough Medicine Consumer Class Lingers

We have seen a number of consumer fraud class action cases brought over a range of fairly ticky tacky issues about OTC drugs and consumer products. California law and courts have been fairly favorable to these cases, which follow a pattern of a test plaintiff seeking to represent some large class because (s)he claims to…