Court Ruling Means Seroquel Case Motions Will Be Made Public

A recent ruling by a federal judge presiding over the case against the makers of the anti-psychotic medication, Seroquel, could mean that internal Food and Drug Administration and drug industry documents will be made public.

Attorneys for Seroquel’s maker, AstraZeneca, had asked the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida for permission to file motions under seal, meaning the documents would be kept private and only viewed by the judge and attorneys. The attorneys said some of the documents cited in the motions are confidential and contain sensitive information that could be prejudicial to the company and the FDA if released to the public.

The court, in rejecting AstraZeneca’s request, said the company’s attorneys could redact personal medical information and other confidential material from the motions that are filed.

More than 8,700 lawsuits have been filed by Seroquel users who claim that the medication caused severe weight gain, diabetes, pancreatitis, and other serious medical conditions. The first of the trials is set to being in February 2009.

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