JPML Refuses to Consolidate ‘Medications with Abuse Potential’ Lawsuits

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has refused to create an MDL docket for actions accusing New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision directors of denying prisoners access to effective pain medications without justification.

In a Dec. 7 order, the panel explained that centralization of the 53 actions is not warranted because each case likely will turn on the unique circumstances of each patient — i.e., their medical condition, treatment history, substance abuse history, administrative exhaustion efforts, etc. — and the cases are at significantly different procedural postures.

Fourteen actions were severed from the …