Topic: Mutual Pharmaceutical

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in the case of Karen Bartlett v. Mutual Pharmaceutical Company, finding that generic drug manufacturers are exempt from liability for side effects. The plaintiff suffered a flesh-eating reaction that left her permanently disfigured, but the court determined that because the FDA approved the drug, federal law preempts state-level design-defect claims. This ruling effectively shields manufacturers of approximately 80% of drugs consumed in the United States from lawsuits regarding adverse reactions.