Commonwealth v. Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.

13 Pa. D. & C.5th 187
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County
DecidedJune 25, 2010
Docketno. 2181
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 13 Pa. D. & C.5th 187 (Commonwealth v. Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., 13 Pa. D. & C.5th 187 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2010).

Opinion

MASSIAH-JACKSON, J,

I. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

In February, 2007, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania commenced litigation against three pharmaceutical companies: Eli Lilly & Company Inc., Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Janssen), and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals L.P. The Commonwealth claimed it was seeking to recover, inter alia, expenses incurred for reimbursing pharmacies for the purchase of Risperdal and other antipsychotic drugs manufactured by these defendants. At that time, the plaintiff alleged that the defendant pharmaceutical companies promoted their respective antipsychotic drugs for non-medically ac[189]*189cepted and non-medically necessary uses. The Commonwealth also asserted that the defendants misrepresented the risks associated with these medicines.

The defendants filed preliminary objections seeking to sever the actions and to drop misjoined parties. In December, 2007, the court severed the claims filed by the Commonwealth, and directed the plaintiff to file separate complaints against each of the defendants.

This action was filed against Janssen on January 17, 2008, alleging in Count I — false and fraudulent claims under medicaid program; Count II — false and fraudulent claims under PACE program; Count III — negligence; Count IV — fraud and misrepresentation; Count V — misrepresentation under Restatement (Second) of Torts §402B: and, Count VI — unjust enrichment. On January 5, 2010, Honorable Howland W. Abramson granted in part Janssen’s motion for judgment on the pleadings, per Rule 1034, and dismissed Counts I — III and V of the complaint.

On April 12, 2010, Janssen filed a motion for summary judgment urging dismissal of Counts IV and Count VI of the complaint.

On April 13,2010, the Commonwealth filed a motion for leave to file an amended complaint, which was granted by the court. The Commonwealth’s first amended complaint was filed on May 17,2010, asserting Count I — fraud and misrepresentation, and, Count II — unjust enrichment. Janssen filed preliminary objections to the first amended complaint on May 24, 2010.

In anticipation of jury selection on May 28,2010, and after reviewing the evolution of the litigation, this court, [190]*190on May 25, 2010, requested each party to submit a precise statement of claims and defenses. On May 27,2010, counsel and the court participated in a pre-trial telephone conference to discuss trial logistics. Jury selection took place on May 28, June 1, and June 3.

On June 2,2010, this court convened a day of hearings for oral argument to consider the defendant’s motion for summary judgment on the initial complaint, preliminary objections to the first amended complaint, and multiple motions in limine filed by both parties.

After opening statements on June 3,2010, and for the next week, we heard from the Commonwealth witnesses. The Commonwealth rested on June 10,2010. By June 10, 2010, the revised claim from plaintiff was further narrowed, and was limited to Medicaid damages only, in the amount of $148,800,000.

Following Janssen’s oral motion for compulsory non-suit on June 10,2010, written memoranda were submitted by the parties on June 11.

On June 14,2010, a hearing was convened by the court to consider the nonsuit motions. The transcript of that hearing is incorporated in this memorandum as if fully set forth herein. Following oral argument, this court provided a preliminary outline to the parties and explained the basis for the order, dated June 14,2010, which granted the motion for nonsuit.

For the reasons which follow, the motion of OrthoMcNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. for compulsory nonsuit, pursuantto Rule 230.1 ofthe Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure, to Count I and Count II of the first amended complaint, was granted on June 14, 2010.

[191]*191II. LEGAL DISCUSSION

The entry of nonsuit is proper when a plaintiff has failed to introduce sufficient evidence to establish the necessary elements to sustain the action. It is the duty of the trial court to make a determination prior to submission of the case to a jury. In making this determination, the plaintiff must be given the benefit of all facts and all reasonable inferences arising from the evidence. The lack of evidence must be clear and all conflicts in evidence must be resolved in plaintiff’s favor. See generally, American States Insurance Co. v. Maryland Casualty Co., 427 Pa. Super. 170, 628 A.2d 880 (1993); Reimer v. Tien, 356 Pa. Super. 192, 514 A.2d 566 (1986).

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of nonsuit in Flagiello v. Crilly, 409 Pa. 389, 187 A.2d 289 (1963), and held that a party who bears the burden of proof may not rest on guess or speculation. The Supreme Court wrote at 409 Pa. 390, 187 A.2d 290:

“In Smith v. Bell Telephone Co., 397 Pa. [134, 153 A.2d 477 (1959)], the court said (pages 138, 139): ‘We have said many times that the jury may not be permitted to reach its verdict merely on the basis of speculation or conjecture, but that there must he evidence upon which logically its conclusion may be based. ’ Schofield v. King, 388 Pa. 132, 136, 130 A.2d 93 (1957); Connor v. Hawk, 387 Pa. 480, 482, 128 A.2d 566 (1957); Ebersole v. Beistline, 368 Pa. 12, 16, 82 A.2d 11 (1951).

“when a party who has the burden of proof relies upon circumstantial evidence and inferences reasonably deducible therefrom, such evidence, in order to prevail, [192]*192must be adequate to establish the conclusion sought and must so preponderate in favor of that conclusion as to outweigh in the mind of the fact-finder any other evidence and reasonable inferences therefrom which are inconsistent therewith.”

In the case at bar, this plaintiff-Commonwealth asserts that it has met its burden of proof’ for fraudulent misrepresentation by claiming it is entitled to a presumption of reliance and causation, and, that circumstantial evidence supports an inference that the defendant’s marketing programs were carried out, and, that it is exempt from Pennsylvania’s Learned Intermediary Doctrine. This trial court concluded that the jury should not be asked to speculate in order to reach its verdict.

The Commonwealth claimed that Janssen made false representations about its prescription antipsychotic drug, Risperdal. According to the plaintiff, Janssen fraudulently represented that Risperdal was superior (safer and more effective) than both conventional antipsychotic drugs (first generation, FGA), as well as newer antipsychotic drugs (second generation, SGA or atypical). Further, the plaintiff asserted that from 2005-2007, “Janssen never shared any information with the Commonwealth,” about the FDA’s determination relating to Risperdal, even though Janssen representatives testified at the annual Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee (P&T) meetings for Pennsylvania Medicaid. Plaintiff’s memorandum in opposition to nonsuit. June 11, 2010, p. 5. (The Commonwealth did not present the transcripts of those public hearings.)

In Scaife Company v. Rockwell-Standard Corporation, 446 Pa. 280, 285 A.2d 451 (1971), the Supreme Court [193]

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13 Pa. D. & C.5th 187, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-ortho-mcneil-janssen-pharmaceuticals-inc-pactcomplphilad-2010.