The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) has ordered the consolidation of over 70 lawsuits against Pfizer, alleging that the company failed to properly warn patients and healthcare providers about the potential link between Depo-Provera and brain tumors. These cases will now be handled in the Northern District of Florida under the supervision of Judge M. Casey Rodgers.

This decision followed a dispute over venue selection. While Pfizer and generic manufacturer Prasco pushed for New York, most plaintiffs favored California, where the majority of cases had been filed. A smaller group proposed Florida as a neutral jurisdiction with no ties to the defendants.

Many expected the litigation to be centralized in either New York or California, but the JPML ultimately chose Florida. In its ruling, the panel highlighted Judge Rodgers’ extensive experience managing complex multidistrict litigations, including the recent 3M earplug case, which resulted in a $6 billion settlement.

Judge Rodgers has built a strong reputation for her ability to efficiently oversee large-scale litigation. Her thorough approach, organizational skills, and fair handling of both plaintiffs and defendants have been widely acknowledged. With the 3M case nearing its conclusion, she now has the capacity to take on another major legal battle.

Now designated as MDL-3140, the Depo-Provera litigation is moving forward. The coming months will involve pretrial coordination, initial motions, and the eventual selection of bellwether cases, all paving the way for a potential global resolution of these claims.