Catherine Cortez Masto (D)
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Legal Newsline)-A lawsuit filed by the Nevada attorney general's office against a group of pharmaceutical companies has been kicked out of U.S. district court.
The lawsuit against drug companies Wyeth, Pfizer and Upjohn claims that the companies misled the public about the safety of their hormone-replacement therapy drugs.
Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto claims that the companies violated the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act in their marketing and sale of drugs used to treat the effects of menopause.
The lawsuit claims the drug companies intentionally minimized the risks and exaggerated the benefits of hormone therapy drugs.
"When drug companies purposefully misrepresent the safety and efficacy of their drugs, or promote their drugs in a deceptive way, everybody loses," Cortez Masto said when filing the lawsuit in November. "We're confident we have the facts necessary to prove this case, and we hope this lawsuit and its outcome will deter improper drug company practices in Nevada."
Last week, Chief U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt in Las Vegas ordered the case be heard in state court since the attorney general claims violation of Nevada law.
From Legal Newsline: Reach staff reporter Chris Rizo at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.