The United States Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation (MDL) is scheduled to meet on July 28, 2011, in San Francisco, CA to hear further argument on whether all federal Darvocet and Darvon cases should be centralized, pursuant to 28 U.S.C.§ 1407, for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings, and if so, which federal district is the appropriate forum for these proceedings. The Panel originally met in March 2011, to hear arguments but deferred its decision and scheduled the July 2011, hearing to consider additional information. A granting of MDL treatment would streamline the pretrial discovery process, allowing the parties to avoid duplicative discovery and inconsistent rulings from different judges.
As we have previously indicated, in November, 2010, the FDA announced that it was pulling off the U.S. market the prescription painkillers, Darvon and Darvocet, which combines Darvon with the aspirin substitute acetaminophen, because of scientific evidence the drugs can damage the heart, even at recommended doses, or cause fatal cardiac abnormalities.
Studies have shown that the ingredients contained in Darvocet and Darvon have been linked to various forms of severe side-effects. Reportedly, these side-effects include: heart arrhythmia, heart attack, suicide, accidental overdose and death.
If you feel you have experienced any side-effects from taking Darvocet, Darvon or generic propoxyphene you can contact Stark & Stark and speak to one of the Mass Tort/Pharmaceutical Litigation attorneys, free of charge, who can help assess any claims that you might have against the Darvocet or Darvon manufacturers