Pearsall v. Medtronics, Inc.

147 F. Supp. 3d 188, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 164199, 2015 WL 8160888
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. New York
DecidedDecember 7, 2015
DocketCV 14-3378
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 147 F. Supp. 3d 188 (Pearsall v. Medtronics, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pearsall v. Medtronics, Inc., 147 F. Supp. 3d 188, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 164199, 2015 WL 8160888 (E.D.N.Y. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

WEXLER, District Judge:

Plaintiff Furman Pearsall (“Pearsall” or “Plaintiff’)’s complaint, based on diversity, asserts New York common law claims of strict liability manufacturing defect, negligent manufacturing and failure to warn in connection with an implantable cardiac defibrillator (“ICD”) plaintiff had implanted on December 11, 2006. The ICD and the wire, or “Lead,” which connected it to Plaintiffs heart, was manufactured by defendant Medtronics, Inc. (“Defendant” or “Medtronics”). On May 18, 2012, according to Plaintiff, the ICD including the Lead malfunctioned, causing Plaintiff an unanticipated shock to his heart and requiring an emergency procedure to remove and replace the ICD. This complaint followed.

[191]*191Defendant moves to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (“Fed. R. Civ. P.”), Rule 12(b)(6), claiming that Plaintiff’s claims are preempted by the Medical Device Amendments (“MDA”).to the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”), 21 U.S.C. § 360k(a),. and the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc., 552 U.S. 312, 128 S.Ct. 999, 169 L.Ed.2d 892 (2008). Defendant also argues that even if Plaintiffs claims are not preempted, they fail to state a, claim and should be dismissed. For the reasons that follow, Defendant’s .motion is granted.

BACKGROUND

I. Statutory Framework

In 1976, Congress passed the MDA to the FDCA, 21 U.S.C. § 360c, et seq., which created a scheme of federal oversight of medical devices.1 The degree of oversight varies depending on the “class” of the device, with those devices in Class III garnering the most extensive oversight. Riegel, 552 U.S. at 316-317, 128 S.Ct. 999.

The regime includes a “rigorous” pre-market approval review of Class III devices, which requires the manufacturer to submit a multi-volume application that includes extensive studies and investigations of the device’s safety and effectiveness, as well as a review of the proposed labeling to ensure there is nothing false or misleading in its sales and marketing. Id., at 317-319, 128 S.Ct. 999.

Once a device receives pre-market approval (“PMA”), the MDA requires the manufacturer to seek FDA permission to make any changes in design specifications, manufacturing processes or labeling that might-effect its safety and effectiveness. Id., at 319, 128 S.Ct. 999. In addition, the scheme requires the manufacturer to inform the FDA. of new clinical studies or investigations, and,to report any incidents of injury or death, or, malfunctioning that may cause injury, or death. Id. The FDA retains power to withdraw pre-market approval, and must withdraw approval if its deems a device unsafe or ineffective. Id., at 320, 128 S.Ct. 999.

II. Plaintiffs Complaint

On December 11, 2006, Plaintiff received an ICD, Virtuous, ICD VR D154VWC, attached to which was the Sprint Fidelis Lead model 6949, both manufactured by Defendant Medtronics. First Amended Complaint (“Cmplt.”) ¶ 7.

In 1992, Defendant submitted a PMA to the FDA seeking approval of its Medtronic Transvene Lead System, which approval was granted in December 1993. Id. ¶ 8-9. Pursuant to the scheme described above, Medtronics submitted several supplements to the FDA seeking approval for various changes to the lead system. Id. ¶ 10. Approval for the Sprint Fidelis Lead model 6949 (the “Lead”) at issue here2 was sought through a supplement to the PMA and granted by the FDA on June 8, 2004. Id. ¶¶ 11-12.

Plaintiffs complaint states that pursuant to this approval, Defendant was required [192]*192to, inter alia, submit PMA supplements if it sought to make any changes to the device, report any studies or data reports concerning the device of which it was aware or should have been aware, and report any adverse reactions to or malfunctions of the device, including those not addressed in its labeling. Id. ¶¶ 13-16.

According to Plaintiff, Defendant made several significant changes to the Lead that related to its safety and effectiveness without submitting a PMA supplement td the FDA. Id. ¶¶ 17-23. Plaintiff also alleges that various problems related to the manufacture of the Lead were not reported as required. Id. ¶¶ 24-32. Specifically; Plaintiff alleges that the Leads were manufactured using a process known as “spot welding” to joined two metal surfaces, that caused damage in the Leads and the fine wires in the cables. Id. ¶ 25-26. Further, Plaintiff alleges that a subsequent investigation of Defendant’s plant in Villalba, Puerto Rico revealed that the manufacturing process was one possible cause of the fracture failures, and that the facility had a history of manufacturing violations. Id. ¶¶ 27-32. Plaintiff asserts that Defendants’ “manufacture, packing, storage or installation of the Leads were not in conformity with applicable FDA rules, .and regulations.” Id. ¶ 32.

Plaintiff also claims that Defendant failed to conform with the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (“CGMP”) required by the FDA, which establish basic minimum requirements applicable to manufacturers of finished medical devices. Id, ¶33. Plaintiff alleges that Defendant’s failure to adhere to the CGMPs included, inter alia, failure to adequately test .and take corrective actions of deficiencies to ensure the Leads could withstand the required forces after implantation. Id. ¶¶ 34-40.

Finally, Plaintiff asserts that in violation of the conditions of approval, Defendant failed tó‘report adverse events concerning the Leads, or in the time period required. Id. ¶¶ 41-42.' Plaintiff claims a database indicates that many of Défendant’s adverse event reports were filed between 85 and 136 days after the event, and that Defendant filed “hundreds” of adverse event reports on September 10, 2007. Id. ¶¶43-48.

On October 15, 2007, Defendant announced a recall of the Sprint Fidelis Lead model 6949, and physicians were advised to stop using the Leads and return all. remaining Leads to Defendant. Id. ¶49. Thereafter, the FDA issued a Class I Recall 3 of the Lead. Id. ¶ 50. Despite this risk, Defendant advised that those that already had an implanted Lead (such as Plaintiff) should not routinely seek removal, since the health risks were minimal. Id.

Plaintiff alleges that on May 18, 2012 his ICD and Lead malfunctioned, causing an “unanticipated shock to the heart,” necessitating an emergency procedure to remove the ICD and Lead. Id. ¶¶ 51-53.

DISCUSSION

I. Standards on Motion to Dismiss

The standards on a motion to dismiss are well-settled.' In considering a motion to dismiss made pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), the court must accept the factual allegations in the complaints as true and draw ajl reasonable inferences in favor of the plaintiff. Lundy v. Catholic Health System of Long Island Inc.,

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Bluebook (online)
147 F. Supp. 3d 188, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 164199, 2015 WL 8160888, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pearsall-v-medtronics-inc-nyed-2015.