Plaintiffs Ask JPML to Centralize, Transfer Effexor Birth Defect Cases

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Plaintiffs who allege Effexor and Effexor XR causes birth defects have moved the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to centralize and transfer all Effexor federal court cases to Pennsylvania federal court for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings.

In an April 24 motion, plaintiffs asked that the MDL be assigned to Judge Cynthia M. Rufe of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, noting that five of the pending actions, along with many of the relevant documents and witnesses, are in that district. The suits accuse Pfizer Inc. and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. failed to inform …