A.F. v. Sorin Grp. USA, Inc.
A.F. v. Sorin Grp. USA, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
Ramos, D.J.:
*538This case is about a young child who received a prosthetic heart valve that failed and had to undergo surgery to replace it, during which she suffered a stroke, partial paralysis, and seizures. The infant, A.F., and her mother, Yael Fogel (collectively, "Plaintiffs"), brought this diversity action against Sorin Group USA, Inc.; CarboMedics, Inc.; and Sorin Group Canada, Inc. (collectively, "Defendants")
I. Background
Defendants are the manufacturers, sellers, and distributors of the Valve, which is a Class III medical device regulated by the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") under the Medical Device Amendments of 1976 ("MDA").
In October 2007, the FDA conditionally approved the Valve for commercial distribution subject to a number of requirements, including reporting to the FDA instances of adverse effects of the device in patients. Id. ¶ 52. Pursuant to that conditional approval, Defendants began distributing the Valve. Id. ¶ 54.
After its release, some patients who received the Valve experienced symptoms of valve deterioration and malfunction of the *539"leaflets," a component of the Valve that controls the flow of blood, as has been documented in medical and scientific literature. Id. ¶¶ 73, 75. In the spring of 2013, a child died after her Valve, implanted two years earlier, was severely obstructed and deteriorated due to excessive calcification. Id. ¶ 75.
Plaintiffs allege that upon learning of these adverse events, Defendants failed to timely report the information to the FDA and attempted to conceal it. Id. ¶¶ 9-11. For example, Plaintiffs allege that Defendants followed up on only a small number of 211 adverse event reports that they received, deflected blame for most of these adverse events, delayed production of adverse event reports to the FDA, and submitted insufficiently detailed annual reports that minimized problems. Id. ¶ 89.
Nonetheless, Plaintiffs allege that the evidence of Valves prematurely failing led Defendants to seek to change the product, and ultimately to discontinue the previous version. Id. ¶¶ 2, 72, 74. On July 1, 2013, Defendants applied to the FDA to change the Valve's manufacturing process to include an anticalcification treatment called phospholipid reduction treatment. Id. ¶¶ 64-65. On April 18, 2014, the FDA approved these changes to the Valve. Id. ¶¶ 66-67.
A.F. is an infant born with cardiac birth defects. Id. ¶ 5. On August 5, 2013, about a month after Defendants applied to change the Valve but before the new version was approved, A.F. underwent surgery at New York Presbyterian Columbia University Medical Center to replace her pulmonary heart valve with the Valve. Id. ¶¶ 5, 59-60. Because the implanted Valve was the prior version, it did not have the anticalcification treatment. Id. ¶ 60, 68.
Two years later, A.F.'s Valve prematurely failed due to deterioration and stiff leaflets that obstructed the flow of blood, causing drops in the level of oxygen in her blood. Id. ¶¶ 70-71. Although these conditions increased the risk of surgical complications, on November 16, 2015, A.F. again underwent surgery to replace the failing Valve. Id. ¶¶ 70, 77. A.F. suffered complications, including a bilateral stroke causing partial paralysis of the left side of her body and seizures, resulting in permanent physical and mental injuries. Id. ¶¶ 5, 78.
On August 4, 2017, Plaintiffs filed the instant action, asserting claims for negligence, strict products liability, negligent failure to warn, and loss of A.F.'s services. Id. ¶¶ 80-143. Plaintiffs assert their state-law claims "only to the extent that they are parallel to and not different from or in addition to the requirements of federal law." Id. ¶ 16. On November 28, 2017, Defendants moved to dismiss the Complaint for failure to state a claim under Rule 12(b)(6). Doc. 18.
II. Legal Standard
When ruling on a motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), the Court must accept all factual allegations in the complaint as true and draw all reasonable inferences in the plaintiff's favor. Wilson v. Merrill Lynch & Co. ,
III. Discussion
The MDA, which amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ("FDCA"), imposed a regime of federal oversight on medical devices by the FDA. Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc. ,
Except as provided in subsection (b), no State or political subdivision of a State may establish or continue in effect with respect to a device intended for human use any requirement-
(1) which is different from, or in addition to, any requirement applicable under this chapter to the device, and
(2) which relates to the safety or effectiveness of the device or to any other matter included in a requirement applicable to the device under this chapter.
21 U.S.C. § 360k(a).
In sum, "[s]tate requirements are pre-empted under the MDA only to the extent that they are 'different from, or in addition to' the requirements imposed by federal law." Riegel ,
In addition to the express preemption provision of § 360k, state claims can also be impliedly preempted based on a conflict with the FDA's enforcement authority. In Buckman Co. v. Plaintiffs' Legal Committee ,
Read together, " Riegel and Buckman create a narrow gap through which a plaintiff's state-law claim must fit if it is to escape express or implied preemption." In re Medtronic, Inc., Sprint Fidelis Leads Prod. Liab. Litig. ,
With these principles in mind, the Court turns to Plaintiffs' state tort claims here, which assert or suggest theories of fraud, design defect, manufacturing defect, and failure to warn. See Compl. ¶¶ 2-4.
A. Fraud
As an initial matter, although the Complaint does not explicitly assert a fraud theory, the Complaint alleges that Defendants did not apprise the FDA of the Valve's risk to juvenile patients in its premarket approval application, because they submitted a clinical study that did not include any patients under the age of 27. Compl. ¶¶ 3-4. Defendants seek to dismiss any claims based on this theory. Defs.' Mem. 11-12, Doc. 18-1. In response, Plaintiffs appear to concede that they do not assert a claim of fraud in the premarket approval application or that the application should have been rejected. Pls.' Opp'n 1, 4, Doc. 31. Rather, the Complaint focuses on Defendants' "post-market duties and responsibilities." Compl. ¶ 2.
Because this fraud-on-the-FDA theory is precluded by Buckman , which the parties do not appear to dispute, the Court dismisses any claims to the extent they assert fraud in the premarket approval process. See Buckman ,
B. Design Defect
To state a claim for defective design, the plaintiff must show that "(1) the product as designed posed a substantial likelihood of harm; (2) it was feasible to design the product in a safer manner; and (3) the defective design was a substantial factor in causing plaintiff's injury." Bertini v. Smith & Nephew, Inc. ,
Plaintiffs allege that Defendants defectively designed the Valve, when they knew or should have known of an "alternative design and manufacturing process which addressed the risks of premature failure," namely, an anticalcification process. Compl. ¶¶ 2, 11. However, as Plaintiffs admit, the FDA approved the Valve without the anticalcification process in October 2007. Compl. ¶ 3. Plaintiff's challenge to the FDA-approved design of the Valve would impose state requirements that are *542"different from, or in addition to," the FDA's requirements, and is thus preempted by § 360k. See Riegel ,
Accordingly, Plaintiffs' claims asserting that the Valve was defectively designed are dismissed.
C. Manufacturing Defect
To plead a claim for a manufacturing defect, the plaintiff must show that "a specific product unit was defective as a result of 'some mishap in the manufacturing process itself, improper workmanship, or because defective materials were used in construction,' and that the defect was the cause of plaintiff's injury." Bertini ,
A claim for a manufacturing defect that deviates from the design approved and required by the FDA is "parallel" to and not preempted by § 360k. See Bausch v. Stryker Corp. ,
Here, however, Plaintiffs have failed to plausibly allege a manufacturing defect that violated FDA requirements. In a conclusory fashion, Plaintiffs allege that the Valve implanted in A.F. "deviated from the manufacture specifications approved by the FDA" and "was manufactured with a material that was different from and deviated from the material ... approved by the FDA." Compl. ¶ 101. But Plaintiffs do not explain what those differences were or otherwise show how the Valve or its materials deviated from the approved design.
D. Failure to Warn
To state a claim for a manufacturer's failure to warn, "a plaintiff must demonstrate that the warning was inadequate and that the failure to adequately warn of *543the dangers ... was a proximate cause of his or her injuries." Bertini ,
To the extent Plaintiffs claim that the Valve's warning label was inadequate because the Valve was not contraindicated for pediatric patients, that claim, like the design-defect claim, must fail because the warning was approved by the FDA. Compl. ¶¶ 3, 14. Requiring the inclusion of this contraindication would impose a state requirement that is "different from, or in addition to," the FDA's requirements in violation of § 360k. See Riegel ,
However, the core of Plaintiffs' failure-to-warn claim is that Defendants failed to timely and properly report information to the FDA concerning adverse effects of the product in violation of FDA requirements. See, e.g. , Compl. ¶¶ 10, 89 (alleging that Defendants delayed production of adverse event reports to the FDA, failed to follow up on many adverse event reports that they received, erroneously blamed most adverse events on other causes, and submitted insufficiently detailed annual reports that minimized problems);
Since a state claim for failure to warn the FDA is not preempted, the next question is whether, under New York law, the duty to warn may include warning the FDA. See Plourde ,
The Court agrees with Judge Kahn's decision in Rosen . Under New York common law, a "manufacturer of a product used by the medical community has a duty to warn the medical community 'of all potential dangers which it knows or should know, and must take such steps as *544are reasonably necessary to bring that knowledge to the attention of the medical [community].' " Clar v. Riegler ,
Nor is this claim impliedly preempted under Buckman . This claim does not "exist solely by virtue of the FDCA disclosure requirements," but rather "rel[ies] on traditional state tort law." Buckman ,
Having determined that a state claim for failure to warn the FDA is viable, the Court further holds that Plaintiffs have plausibly alleged such a claim. As noted above, Plaintiffs allege specific deficiencies in the timeliness and content of Defendants' reports to the FDA concerning the Valve's adverse effects and identify FDA regulations requiring such reports. See, e.g. , Compl. ¶¶ 10, 89;
E. CarboMedics, Inc.
Defendants have moved to dismiss CarboMedics, Inc. from the case on the grounds that it was merged into its parent company, Sorin Group USA, Inc., on January 1, 2010, and thereby ceased to exist. Defs.' Mem. 1 n.1. In support, they attach a State of Delaware Certificate of Ownership recording the merger of CarboMedics into Sorin Group USA. Defs.' Mem. Ex. A, at 2-4, Doc. 18-2.
Under Rule 17(b), a corporation's "[c]apacity to sue or be sued is determined ... by the law under which it was organized." Fed. R. Civ. P. 17(b). CarboMedics is a Delaware corporation. Compl. ¶ 25; Defs.' Mem Ex. A., at 2-3. "[U]nder Delaware law it is settled that the separate corporate existence of a constituent corporation ceases upon merger and the emerging corporation is the only corporation with capacity to be sued and process cannot be served on the constituent corporation." Sevits v. McKiernan-Terry Corp. (N.J.) ,
IV. Leave to Amend
Plaintiffs have requested leave to amend their Complaint in the event that the Court dismisses their claims. Pls.' Opp'n 25. Rule 15 instructs courts to "freely give leave [to amend a pleading] when justice so requires." Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(2). The Second Circuit has instructed courts not to dismiss a complaint "without granting leave to amend at least once when a liberal reading of the complaint gives any indication that a valid claim might be stated." Shabazz v. Bezio,
V. Conclusion
Defendants' motion to dismiss is GRANTED with respect to any claims for fraud in the premarket approval process, design defect, manufacturing defect, and inadequate warning label. Additionally, Defendants' motion is GRANTED with respect to the dismissal of CarboMedics. Defendants' motion is DENIED with respect to Plaintiffs' claim for failure to warn the FDA. Plaintiffs may file an amended complaint, if at all, on or before October 29, 2018. The Clerk of the Court is respectfully directed to terminate the motion, Doc. 18.
It is SO ORDERED.
Defendant Sorin CRM USA, Inc. was voluntarily dismissed on January 24, 2018. Doc. 28.
The following facts are drawn from the allegations in the Complaint, which the Court accepts as true for purposes of the instant motion to dismiss. See Koch v. Christie's Int'l PLC ,
"The devices receiving the most federal oversight are those in Class III, which include replacement heart valves, implanted cerebella stimulators, and pacemaker pulse generators." Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc. ,
Although the Valve was not contraindicated for pediatric patients, Defendants note that the Valve's label stated the following under "WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS": "Clinical experience described in the medical literature suggests that juvenile patients or patients ... who are 55 years of age or less may experience accelerated calcification of bioprosthetic heart valves." Defs.' Mem. Ex. B., Doc. 18-3. The Court may consider the warning label because it is referenced in the Complaint and is an FDA-approved document. See Roth v. Jennings ,
"The exception contained in subsection (b) permits the FDA to exempt some state and local requirements from pre-emption." Riegel ,
The Court relied in part on a different provision,
To be sure, "in the context of Class III medical devices, much of the critical information is kept confidential as a matter of federal law," including "[t]he specifications of the FDA's premarket approval documents," and "[f]ormal discovery is necessary before a plaintiff can fairly be expected to provide a detailed statement of the specific bases for her claim." Bausch ,
To the extent Plaintiffs assert claims for failure to warn parts of the medical community other than the FDA, such as healthcare providers, or consumers, Compl. ¶ 9, those claims are preempted because they are "different from, or in addition to," the MDA's requirements. See Bertini ,
The Court respectfully disagrees with the contrary conclusion of Lake v. Kardjian ,
Plaintiffs suggest another theory of causation based on counterfactual regulatory actions by the FDA. Compl. ¶¶ 10, 90. The theory is that if the Defendants had properly apprised the FDA of adverse events, particularly in pediatric patients, "the FDA could have required a more particularized warning concerning patients under 30" or taken other action that would have avoided the Valve's implantation. Plourde ,
The Court takes judicial notice of the State of Delaware Certificate of Ownership. See Goldman v. Barrett , No. 15 Civ. 9223 (PGG),
Reference
- Full Case Name
- A.F., an Infant BY AND THROUGH Her Mother and Natural Guardian Yael FOGEL, and Yael Fogel, Individually v. SORIN GROUP USA, INC., CarboMedics, Inc., Sorin Group Canada, Inc., and John Doe Manufacturing Companies and/or Corporations 1 Through 10, Whose Names are Unknown at this Time who Manufactured, Designed, Produced, Sold, or Distributed the Mitroflow LXA19 Aortic Pericardial Heart Valve and All its Component Parts Used During the August 5, 2013 Surgery Performed on the Infant
- Cited By
- 14 cases
- Status
- Published