In a 5-4 decision, the US Supreme Court handed a victory to drug makers Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd of Israel, the US company Mylan Inc and Actavis Inc of Iceland by blocking three consolidated lawsuits against them.
Plaintiffs had argued that they suffered a neurological disorder called tardive dyskinesia (a serious movement disorder that is often irreversible) after taking the generic anti-heartburn drug metoclopramide (Reglan, Metozolv), which they said did not contain adequate warning labels.
The plaintiffs were prescribed the generic drug for Reglan in 2001 and 2002.
As early as 1985, evidence began to surface that long-term use of the drug could have serious side effects, but