Calif. Accutane Case Stayed Pending Transfer to MDL

SAN FRANCISCO — A California federal judge has stayed proceedings in an Accutane injury case pending transfer to the Accutane multidistrict litigation, ruling that a stay will promote judicial economy and will not cause the plaintiff undue prejudice. Couture v. Hoffman-LaRoche Inc., et al., No. C-12-2657 (N.D. Calif.).

On July 25, Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California explained that MDL 1626 has been established to address similar questions of fact related to Accutane and the MDL court has already dealt with some of the defendants in the present case.

In May, …