Judge Urges Avandia Parties Toward Resolution

The judge presiding over federal multidistrict litigation involving the diabetes drug Avandia urged manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline and the plaintiffs toward resolution Nov. 7. Previously, Judge Cynthia M. Rufe of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania appointed Louisiana attorney and mediator Patrick A. Juneau as a special master for settlement proceedings. In her Nov. 7 order, Rufe gave the parties 75 days to resolve or settle in principle at least 85 percent of all filed and tolled cases. If that does not happen, an expedited discovery and trial process will begin, starting with the first 100 cases filed ...