Name-Brand Makers Not Liable to Man Who Used Only Generic Drug, Court Says

Makers of a brand-name heartburn drug bear no liability to a man who used only generic equivalents, a federal trial court in Louisiana said Oct. 26, joining the overwhelming majority of courts to rule on this question (Cooper v. Wyeth Inc.).

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana granted summary judgment for Wyeth LLP (part of Pfizer) and Schwarz Pharma Inc., makers of Reglan.

Robert S. Cooper used metoclopramide, the generic version of Reglan, for more than 10 years. After he developed the movement disorder tardive dyskinesia, he sued generic drugmakers as well as Wyeth ...