Claims Against Generic Reglan Makers Federally Preempted, 5th Cir. Affirms

NEW ORLEANS — Claims brought against generic Reglan makers in two separate actions are federally preempted because they are grounded in failure to warn, the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled.

On Feb. 21, the appellate court explained that the generic drug makers are barred by federal law from disseminating any sort of warning to doctors and patients, including “Dear Doctor” letters.

Walter Lashley sued generic drug makers Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Watson Laboratories Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, alleging his ingestion of generic Reglan (metoclopramide) caused him to develop …