In an article published yesterday, we wrote that GlaxoSmithKline agreed to pay $3 billion in order to settle several federal investigations into its drug marketing practices, including Avandia its Type 2 diabetes drug that has been linked to cardiovascular injuries. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, a U.S. District Judge, Cynthia Rufe, is now urging GlaxoSmithKline to resolve the majority of the existing Avandia lawsuits.
Judge Rufe has appointed Patrick A. Juneau, of Louisiana, as mediator to “preside over settlement negotiations” for an undetermined number of Avandia cases that were consolidated under her jurisdiction in Philadelphia. Juneau has mediated over 2,000 cases.
Judge Rufe also imposed a 75 day deadline to resolve 85 percent of the remaining Avandia cases. If mediation is unsuccessful in resolving 85 percent of the cases in 75 days, the Avandia cases could be fast-tracked. This includes putting 100 of the oldest complaints into a trial pool for presentation to jurors within the following 60 days.
About 20,000 Avandia claims remain open, including those before Judge Rufe, as well as other cases files in several state courts and those that were stayed subject to Glaxo-plaintiff agreements, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.