Baymiller v. Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

894 F. Supp. 2d 1302, 2012 WL 3929768, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 127285
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedSeptember 6, 2012
DocketNo. 3:11-cv-858-RCJ-VPC
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 894 F. Supp. 2d 1302 (Baymiller v. Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Baymiller v. Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 894 F. Supp. 2d 1302, 2012 WL 3929768, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 127285 (D. Nev. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

ROBERT C. JONES, District Judge.

Currently before the Court is Glaxosmithkline LLC’s motion for summary judgment (# 59). For the following reasons, the Court grants Glaxosmithkline LLC’s motion for summary judgment (# 59) in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

In November 2011, Defendant Glaxosmithkline LLC filed a petition for removal and attached the complaint from the Second Judicial District Court in Washoe County, Nevada. (Pet. for Removal (# 1); Compl. (# 1) at 11-27). In the complaint, Plaintiffs Scott A. Baymiller, Kathleen Lynn Baymiller, Mary Arlayne Baymiller, and Scott A. Baymiller as the Co-Special Administrator of the Estate of Charles Aan Baymiller (collectively “Plaintiffs”) sued Defendants Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Aurobindo Pharma USA, Teva Pharmaceutical USA, Glaxosmithkline LLC (“Glaxo”), CVS Pharmacy, Inc., and Rite Ad Corporation (collectively “Defendants”). (Compl. (# 1) at 11).

The complaint alleged the following. (Id. at 12). Scott Baymiller and Kathleen Baymiller were the son and daughter of Mary Baymiller and Charles Baymiller, [1304]*1304deceased. (Id.). Mary Baymiller was the surviving wife of Charles Baymiller. (Id.). Ranbaxy was a corporation that had engaged in the design, manufacture, production, testing, study, research, mixture, labeling, marketing, advertising, sales, promotion, and/or distribution of pharmaceutical products, including Lorazepam, which was used to treat anxiety, acute seizures, and insomnia. (Id. at 13). Aurobindo was a corporation that had engaged in the design, manufacture, etc. of Paroxetine HCL, which was used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and anxiety. (Id.). Teva was a corporation that had engaged in the design, manufacture, etc. of Paroxetine HCL. (Id.). Glaxo was a corporation that had engaged in the design, manufacture, etc. of Paxil, which was used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorder. (Id. at 13-14). CVS was a corporation that was engaged in the sales and/or distribution of Lorazepam, Paroxetine HCL, and Paxil in Nevada. (Id. at 14). Rite Aid was a corporation that had engaged in the sales and/or distribution of Paroxetine HCL in Nevada. (Id.).

The complaint alleged the following. Since 1992, Glaxo had promoted, advertised, and made claims and representations to the medical profession and general public that Paxil was a “safe and effective drug for treatment of depression” (Id. at 15). Paroxetine HCL, as manufactured by Aurobindo and Teva, was the generic equivalent to Paxil. (Id.). Aurobindo and Teva had sold Paroxetine HCL to CVS and Rite Aid pursuant to a sales contract. (Id.).

The complaint alleged the following. Upon information and belief, studies had been conducted and were “available to Defendants showing that Paxil, and its generic Paroxetine HCL, [could] cause ex-trapyramidial reactions including akathisia associated with violence, self-harm, and psychotic episodes.” (Id.). Defendants were aware of the documented increased instances of violence both to oneself and others. (Id.).

The complaint alleged the following. Ranbaxy had sold and distributed Lorazepam, a generic equivalent to Ativan. (Id.). Ranbaxy had sold Lorazepam to CVS pursuant to a sales contract. (Id.). Prior to October 4, 2009, there existed sufficient studies that were available to Defendants to make them aware of the side effects of mixing Lorazepam and Paroxetine HCL. (Id. at 15-16). Prior to October 4 or 5, 2009, Defendants had designed, manufactured, packaged, and sold Paroxetine HCL and/or Lorazepam. (Id. at 16). Upon information and belief, “Defendants [were] responsible for placing said product in the hands of users” particularly Mary Baymiller on October 4 or 5, 2009. (Id.). Defendants had placed a defective and unreasonably dangerous product or combination of products, i.e. Paroxetine HCL and Lorazepam, in the hands of Mary Baymiller without adequate warnings concerning its safe and proper use. (Id.). On October 4 or 5, 2009, while under the influence of prescribed Lorazepam and Paroxetine HCL individually and/or in combination and “in a state of somnambulism, while under the associated side effect of the drugs, did use force and violence upon her husband,” Charles Baymiller, to cause his death on October 5, 2009, and to cause self-harm and violence to herself. (Id.).

The complaint alleged the following. Defendants had a duty and were required to warn about the serious hazards associated with the drugs individually and in combination with other drugs as soon as there was “reasonable evidence of association.” (Id.). Defendants’ U.S. packaging inserts and marketing materials had failed to [1305]*1305warn about the associated risks of homicidal behaviors or acts of violence toward others. (Id.).

The complaint alleged seven causes of action against Defendants, including: (1) strict products liability (unreasonably dangerous product); (2) strict products liability (inadequate warnings); (3) negligence; (4) breach of implied warranty; (5) breach of express warranty; (6) fraud upon purchaser and misrepresentation, pursuant to NRS § 41.600; and (7) statutory abuse and neglect of a person older than 60 years old pursuant to NRS § 41.1395. (Id. at 17-26).

This Court granted the parties’ stipulations to dismiss Defendants Ranbaxy Pharmaceutical, Inc., Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., and Aurobindo Pharm USA, Inc. with prejudice from this case. (Orders (# 43, 48, 55)). In July 2012, this Court granted Rite Aid Corporation and CVS Pharmacy, Ine.’s motions to dismiss in their entirety without leave to amend. (Order (# 68) at 9). The only remaining defendant in this case is Glaxosmithkline, LLC (“Glaxo”). Glaxo now files the pending motion for summary judgment (# 59).

It is undisputed that Glaxo is the manufacturer of the brand name medication Paxil, a prescription antidepressant that Mary Baymiller did not purchase or use. (Joint Case Mgmt. Report (# 56) at 2).

LEGAL STANDARD

In reviewing a motion for summary judgment, the court construes the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Bagdadi v. Nazar, 84 F.3d 1194, 1197 (9th Cir.1996). Pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 56, a court will grant summary judgment “if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). Material facts are “facts that might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2510, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A material fact is “genuine” if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party. Id.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
894 F. Supp. 2d 1302, 2012 WL 3929768, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 127285, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/baymiller-v-ranbaxy-pharmaceuticals-inc-nvd-2012.