U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Wyeth v. Levine a Victory for All Consumers

Business Wire, March 04, 2009

Civil Justice Attorney Sol Weiss, Counsel to 800 Vioxx Plaintiffs, Says Opposition to Preemption Long Overdue

PHILADELPHIA -- The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling today in Wyeth v. Levine is a landmark, much-needed victory for injured consumers, says Anapol Schwartz civil justice attorney Sol Weiss, whose drug preemption case, Colacicco and McNellis, is pending before the High Court.

Most recently representing more than 800 plaintiffs as co-liaison counsel in the N.J Vioxx litigation, and serving as co-chair of the American Association for Justice preemption committee which has lobbied against preemption, Weiss says, “Consumers got the ruling they wanted and deserved today. The FDA, whose staff is appointed without any accountability to the public, needs private lawsuits to assist in the process of making drug companies warn consumers about the risks of their prescriptions. Drug companies don’t deserve a get out of jail card. The High Court today affirmed this, and the importance of injured consumers’ ability to seek protection and compensation under state laws.”

Advocating for consumer rights in preemption cases in both federal and state courts, Weiss has 36-years experience representing those harmed by unsafe drugs, whether securing a $68.5 million settlement for 168 individuals seriously injured by the statin drug Baycol, or serving as one of seven class counsel in a $3.75 billion settlement in a diet drug case.

For more information on today’s ruling, and how preemption adversely impacts consumers, call Sol Weiss at 215-735-2098 or e-mail him at sweiss@anapolschwartz.com.

Founded in 1977, Anapol, Schwartz, Weiss, Cohan, Feldman & Smalley, P.C., is a personal injury firm with more than 25 attorneys and law offices in Philadelphia, Media, Reading and Harrisburg, Pa., as well as Cherry Hill, N.J. and Wheeling, W.Va. The firm has a multi-faceted practice with a tradition of excellence in pharmaceutical mass tort, medical device matters, toxic tort, class actions, products liability, workplace injury, professional negligence cases, automobile, investor claims and wrongful termination litigation.