N.J. Court Issues Order Designating Accutane as Mass Tort, Exempts 5 Pending Cases

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - New Jersey's Accutane cases were recognized as a mass tort on May 2 by that state's Supreme Court, which centralized proceedings in most cases before a single judge in Atlantic County Superior Court. In re: Accutane Litigation. No. MDL 271 (N.J. Super. Ct., Atlantic Cty.).

The New Jersey Supreme Court said it was creating the mass tort program for all pending and future actions seeking damages from use of Hoffman LaRoche's acne treatment drug, Accutane (isotretinion). The court assigned the cases to Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Carol E. Higbee, who currently presides over the state's …