Zometa Plaintiff May Present Evidence Regarding Dosage Warnings at Trial, Calif. Judge Rules

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The plaintiff in a Zometa injury case may present evidence and argument at trial that Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. (NYSE: NVS) should have recommended a dosing regimen different than that approved by the Food and Drug Administration, a California federal judge has ruled, noting the drug maker could have made such recommendations without prior FDA approval.

On May 10, Judge Jed S. Rakoff of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California held that Novartis could have changed its label to reflect these recommendations via the Changes Being Effected process.

In June 2006, Chris Hill …