Zoloft Efficacy Claims Time-Barred, Calif. Federal Judge Rules

SAN JOSE, Calif. — A California federal judge has dismissed a suit accusing Pfizer Inc. of misrepresenting the efficacy of its popular antidepressant Zoloft, finding that the plaintiff’s claims are time-barred under the relevant statutes.

On Feb. 21, Judge Lucy H. Koh of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California held that the discovery rule does not apply because the plaintiff failed to plead sufficient facts as to time and manner of her discovery of the alleged misrepresentations. However, the judge granted the plaintiff leave to cure these deficiencies.

Laura Plumlee was prescribed Zoloft in March 2005 …