Kevin M. Hart, Chair of Stark & Stark’s Mass Tort Litigation Group, was quoted in the January 25, 2012 New Jersey Law Journal article, Suits Allege Lilly Failed To Warn of Darvocet’s and Darvon’s Health Risks. The article discusses a recent case in which former Darvocet and Darvon users are claiming that the manufacturer of the drugs, Eli Lilly & Co., failed to warn users of the serious side effects associated with the painkiller, including heart problems such as angina, arteriosclerotic heart disease and mitral regurgitation.

Plaintiffs from all over the country, including Pennsylvania, Texas, California, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina state that propoxyphene, the active ingredient in Darvocet, Darvon and generic versions of the drugs, is only marginally effective for pain relief and that any benefit was outweighed by the risk of cardiovascular problems.

Mr. Hart, who filed the nine suits, also names aaiPharma Inc., of Wilmington, N.C., and Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals of Newport, K.Y. as defendants in the suit. Mr. Hart states that about 175 similar cases are pending in the MDL, and he expects his cases to be moved to Kentucky as well. Additionally, Mr. Hart states that the first trials are at least two years away.