Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid Want ‘Rapid Release’ Suits Tossed

Walgreens, Rite Aid Corp. and Walmart Inc. want federal courts to dismiss proposed class suits alleging they deceived consumers about the speed of “rapid release” acetaminophen pain relievers.

The medications at issue are the retailers’ versions of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc.'s Tylenol Extra Strength Rapid Release Gels, according to the complaints in the U.S. District Courts for Northern District of Illinois, and the Northern and Central Districts of California.

Federal law governing over-the-counter drugs preempts the suits, the companies said in Feb. 5 filings in the three courts.

The plaintiffs alleged they were tricked into believing that they ...