Much attention has been focused on what aspects of the preemption doctrine were restricted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Wyeth v. Levine. A recent decision holds that claims that a drug was “unreasonably dangerous” and that no warning would have been adequate, are preempted. Longs v. Wyeth, 2009 WL 754524 (N.D. Ohio, 3/20/09). Plaintiff sued Wyeth and asserted strict liability and negligence claims concerning the diet drug Redux. Wyeth argued that plaintiff’s claim that Redux was an unreasonably dangerous drug, for which no warning would have been adequate, directly conflicts with the FDA’s authority to determine which drugs are sufficiently safe and effective to be marketed. The court affirmed its grant of summary judgment, finding that the strict liability and negligence claims related to pre-FDA approval were preempted by federal law, and that the claims that were not preempted failed on their merits.

The Court rejected plaintiff’s claim that Wyeth v. Levine called for reconsideration. In Wyeth, the Court considered the narrow issue of whether the FDA’s drug labeling judgments preempt certain state law product liability claims premised on the theory that different labeling judgments were necessary to make drugs reasonably safe for use. The court noted that the Supreme Court emphasized that it was Congress’ intent to have state law complement federal drug regulation because manufacturers may have superior access to information about their drugs, especially in the postmarketing phase as new risks emerge.

The instant case was distinguishable from Wyeth v. Levine because it did not involve a failure to warn claim, and because Levine arose out of the actions of the manufacturer post-FDA approval. A post-FDA approval duty is distinguishable from a manufacturer’s duty prior to approval by the FDA, a circumstance that the Supreme Court did not explicitly address. Whatever Wyeth v. Levine may stand for regarding whether post-FDA approval claims are preempted, it does not purport to hold anything for pre-FDA approval claims, held the court.