Judge Refuses to Impose Additional Discovery Sanctions on Novartis

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A federal magistrate judge has refused to impose sanctions on Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. for failing to fully comply with a discovery request for advertising documents, ruling that the omission was not deliberate. White v. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., No. 06-0665 (E.D. Calif.).

Magistrate Judge Gregory G. Hollows of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California found no evidence that Novartis' failure to provide all of the relevant documents rose to the level of bad faith or willfulness.

William White sued Novartis, alleging that he developed bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw as a result of …