Healthcare Defendants Say Plaintiffs' Inaction Prejudices Defense of Claims

NEW ORLEANS - Two healthcare services providers have moved to dismiss a pair of cases from the federal Vioxx MDL for plaintiffs' alleged violation of pretrial discovery requirements, saying the plaintiffs' inaction serves to hinder and prejudice the defense of their claims. In Re: Vioxx Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1657 (E.D. La.).

On June 4, New York-based Lifetime Healthcare Inc. and Lifetime Medical Center filed a motion asking the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana to order plaintiffs in Sfeir v. Merck & Co. Inc., et al., No. 06-2243, and Lukasik v. Merck & Co. Inc., …