Borchenko v. L'Oreal USA, Inc.
Borchenko v. L'Oreal USA, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
*771I. INTRODUCTION
On February 26, 2019, Plaintiff Nataliya Borchenko ("Plaintiff") filed a Complaint asserting a single cause of action for Violation of the California Unfair Competition Law ("UCL"), Business and Professions Code § 17200, et seq. , against Defendant L'Oreal USA, Inc. ("Defendant").
Presently before the Court is Defendant's Motion to Dismiss Case or, in the Alternative, to Stay Under Primary Jurisdiction. For the following reasons, the Court GRANTS the Motion to Dismiss.
II. Factual Background
Plaintiff alleges that Defendant has manufactured, marketed, sold, and distributed several skin care products under its Revitalift line, including (1) Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Treatment; (2) Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Face & Neck Moisturizer; (3) Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Day Moisturizer; (4) Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Night Cream Moisturizer; (5) Cicacream; (6) Triple Power Intensive Skin Revitalizer Serum + Moisturizer; (7) Triple Power Day Lotion Moisturizer; (8) Triple Power Deep-Acting Moisturizer; (9) Triple Power Intensive Anti-Aging Overnight Mask; (10) Triple Power Eye Treatment; (11) Triple Power Concentrated Serum Treatment; (12) Triple Power Intensive Anti-Aging Day Cream Moisturizer; (13) Double Lifting Face Treatment; (14) Double Lifting Eye Treatment; (15) Bright Reveal Brightening Peel Pads; (16) Bright Reveal Brightening Day Moisturizer; and (17) Bright Reveal Brightening Dual Overnight Moisturizer (the "Products"). Plaintiff alleges that the Products make various representations including (1) that they reduce wrinkles; (2) that they "lift" the skin; (3) that they "firm," "tighten," or "redensify" the skin; and (4) that they "strengthen" and "repair the skin barrier." Plaintiff contends that these representations are unlawful because they are "skin structural representations," qualifying them as "drugs" under California's Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law ("Sherman Law").
Plaintiff asserts that cosmetics cannot be marketed as skin structure altering drugs without pre-approval from the FDA through the New Drug Application ("NDA") process unless they conform to a "monograph" for a particular drug category. Monographs identify approved ingredients for specified uses generally recognized as safe and effective. Products containing active ingredients that are non-monograph cannot be marketed to the public without an approved NDA, which requires, inter alia , that Defendant present evidence that the products are *772safe and effective for their represented uses. Plaintiff alleges that the active ingredients in the Products do not conform to monographs for wrinkle prevention, elimination, and reduction; skin lifting, tightening, and firming; or improving skin elasticity. Defendant did not subject the Products to the NDA process and did not obtain pre-approval from the FDA to sell the Products with the skin structural representations. However, Plaintiff takes no position on whether the skin structural representations are true or false.
III. JUDICIAL STANDARD
Defendant moves for dismissal pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) on the grounds of implicit preemption and lack of standing. Under Rule 12(b)(6), a party may move to dismiss for "failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted." Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). "To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to 'state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.' " Ashcroft v. Iqbal ,
IV. DISCUSSION
The FDCA defines cosmetics as "articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body ... for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance."
In order to escape preemption by the FDCA, "[t]he plaintiff must be suing for conduct that violates the FDCA ..., but the plaintiff must not be suing because the conduct violates the FDCA (such a claim would be impliedly preempted under Buckman [Co. v. Plaintiffs' Legal Committee ,
The provisions of the Sherman Law cited by Plaintiff each rely on and essentially mirror parallel provisions of the FDCA. For instance, the section of the Sherman Law which limits the sale of new drugs is explicitly based on whether the product has received federal premarket approval: "No person shall sell, deliver, or give away any new drug ... unless ... (a) It is ... (1) A new drug, and a new drug application has been approved for it and that approval has not been withdrawn, terminated, or suspended under Section 505 of the federal act ( 21 U.S.C. Sec. 355 )."
In addition to referencing the Sherman Law, Plaintiff relies heavily on FDA warning letters and informal guidance to argue that Defendant's products make "drug claims" and, therefore, must receive federal premarket approval.
In her Opposition, Plaintiff cites to Farm Raised Salmon Cases ,
Furthermore, "federal law as determined by federal courts governs questions of federal preemption." Osceola Blackwood Ivory Gaming Grp., LLC v. Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians ,
Finally, Plaintiff's UCL claim interferes with the FDA's enforcement and regulatory authority as set out in § 336 of the FDCA, which provides as follows: "Nothing *774in this Act shall be construed as requiring the Secretary [of Health and Human Services] to report for prosecution, or for the institution of libel or injunction proceedings, minor violations of this Act whenever he believes that the public interest will be adequately served by a suitable written notice or warning." Plaintiff's claim, like any private cause of action to enforce the FDCA, conflicts with this explicit grant of discretionary authority.
In sum, Plaintiff's UCL claim is impliedly preempted by federal law because it exists solely by virtue of the FDCA and law which references the FDCA, seeks to enforce provisions of the FDCA, and conflicts with the FDCA discretionary enforcement process. Thus, Plaintiff is suing not only for conduct that violates the FDCA but "because the conduct violates the FDCA." Thus, Plaintiff fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
Because Plaintiff's claim is preempted by federal law, the Court declines to consider the parties' arguments regarding standing.
V. CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS Defendant's Motion to Dismiss. (DE 22).
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Nataliya BORCHENKO v. L'OREAL USA, INC.
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published