Novartis Denied Summary Judgment in Zometa ONJ Case

NEW YORK - A New York federal judge has denied Novartis summary judgment on claims that its failure to warn a plaintiff's oncologist of the risks associated with Zometa was the proximate cause of a plaintiff's alleged bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw. Davids v. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., No. 06-431 (E.D. N.Y.).

On April 19, Judge Arthur Spatt of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ruled that the plaintiff established genuine issues of material fact as to whether different warnings would have made a difference in her behavior, or the behavior of her oncologist.

However, the …