Judge Deems Expert Testimony on General Causation Unreliable, Awards Metabolife Summary Judgment

SAN DIEGO - A neurologist's opinion that Metabolife 356 caused a woman to suffer an ischemic stroke was deemed unreliable by a federal judge who found that the physician failed to bridge the analytical gap between his theory on general causation and the list of medical resources listed in his declaration. Linda Phillips v. Metabolife International Inc., et al., No. 02-CV-0130-IEG (NLS) (S.D. Calif.).

In awarding summary judgment to the supplement maker, U.S. District Judge Irma Gonzalez ruled that Dr. Hisham Hakim did not show how the methodologies he applied in reaching his conclusions were linked to his reference materials. …