Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-md-02691/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-md-02691-29/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 367
Nature of Suit: TORTS - Personal Injury - Health Care/Pharmaceutical Personal Injury/Product Liability
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Personal Injury

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PROPOSED ORDER RE: PROTOCOL FOR IN EXTREMIS DEPOSITIONS 

CASE NO. 16-md-02691-RS 

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

(SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION) 

IN RE: VIAGRA (SILDENAFIL CITRATE) 

AND CIALIS (TADALAFIL) PRODUCTS 

LIABILITY LITIGATION 

This Document Relates to: 

ALL ACTIONS 

Master File No.: 3:16-md-02691-RS 

MDL No. 2691 

[JOINT PROPOSED] PRETRIAL 

ORDER NO. ____: ORDER RE: 

PROTOCOL FOR IN EXTREMIS

DEPOSITIONS 

This Case Management Order in this MDL proceeding shall be binding on all parties 

and their counsel involved in this MDL, including any case currently consolidated in this 

proceeding and any case subsequently added to this proceeding. 

1. This Order shall apply to all actions where it has been alleged that the Plaintiff is 

“In Extremis”. 

2. “In Extremis” shall be defined as being reasonably near the end of life. 

3. Plaintiff’s counsel shall give notice to Defendant’s counsel of record upon 

learning of a Plaintiff’s in extremis condition for each case in which Plaintiff voluntarily desires 

to utilize this protocol. The notice must be made in writing with a certification by Plaintiff’s 

counsel as to the nature of the Plaintiff’s in extremis condition and his or her competency to 

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Case 3:16-md-02691-RS Document 555 Filed 08/01/17 Page 1 of 4
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PROPOSED ORDER RE: PROTOCOL FOR IN EXTREMIS DEPOSITIONS 

CASE NO. 16-md-02691-RS 

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testify. The notice also shall contain a suggested date, time and location for the Plaintiff’s in 

extremis deposition, which will serve as the starting point for negotiations between counsels for 

the parties. 

4. Provided that Plaintiff’s counsel provides the following materials to counsel for 

the Defendant(s), or has previously provided them, the deposition may proceed on thirty (30) 

days’ notice: 

a. The records of any healthcare provider (HCP) who prescribed the 

medication(s) at issue; 

b. The records of the HCPs who (i) diagnosed the Plaintiff with melanoma; and 

(ii) treat or have treated the Plaintiff for melanoma (including but not limited to 

dermatologists, pathologists, surgeons, and medical oncologists); 

c. The records of the Plaintiff’s Primary Care Physician to the extent the 

physician was involved in the diagnosis of erectile dysfunction and/or any skin 

cancers; and 

d. Pharmacy records for all pharmacies who issued the prescribed medication(s) 

at issue. 

5. Plaintiff’s counsel must also provide counsel for the Defendant(s), responses to 

the standing in extremis interrogatories, attached hereto as Exhibit A, no later than fifteen (15) 

days prior to Plaintiff’s deposition. 

6. As soon as Plaintiff’s counsel reasonably expects the need for an in extremis

deposition, and in advance of the thirty (30) days’ notice provided above, Plaintiff’s counsel 

shall provide Defendant(s) with an authorization for the collection of all medical records 

described in Paragraph 4. In the event the records and materials set forth in paragraph 4 above 

have not been provided, Plaintiff’s counsel shall obtain them as expeditiously as possible, and 

upon such records being obtained the deposition may proceed on thirty (30) days’ notice. If the 

records cannot be obtained before the Plaintiff may become physically unable or incompetent to 

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PROPOSED ORDER RE: PROTOCOL FOR IN EXTREMIS DEPOSITIONS 

CASE NO. 16-md-02691-RS 

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testify, Plaintiff’s counsel shall notify Defendant’s counsel and the parties shall meet and confer 

on the scheduling of the deposition. 

7. The parties shall meet and confer in good faith to confirm the date, time, and 

location of the Plaintiff’s deposition. Plaintiff’s counsel shall be responsible for securing and 

providing a court reporter and, if desired, a videographer for the deposition. 

8. Defendant(s) may elect to conduct a discovery deposition of the Plaintiff in 

advance of the Plaintiff’s in extremis evidence deposition. Upon request of Defendant’s counsel 

of record, or their delegate, the parties shall meet and confer to set an agreed date, time and 

location for the deposition. Defendant’s counsel shall be responsible for securing and providing 

a court reporter and, if desired, a videographer for the discovery deposition. 

9. If Plaintiff’s counsel follows the procedures set forth in this Case Management 

Order, Plaintiff’s counsel need not notice an emergency hearing in order to proceed with a 

Plaintiff’s in extremis deposition. Should Defendant(s) have a good faith objection to the 

deposition, however, they shall notify Plaintiff’s counsel and the Court, in writing, of their 

objection and Plaintiff’s counsel shall file with the Court an emergency motion to compel the in 

extremis deposition for hearing by the Honorable Magistrate Judge Kim. 

10. Any objections discussed in paragraph 9 shall be brought to the Court’s attention 

as soon as practicable, but, in any event, no less than two (2) days before the Plaintiff’s 

deposition is noticed to proceed. If the objection(s) are overruled, the deposition shall proceed at 

the date, time, and location at which it initially was noticed. 

11. This Order does not itself create an obligation for any Plaintiff to proceed with 

an in extremis deposition. Any Plaintiff’s decision not to utilize this protocol shall not act to 

prejudice that Plaintiff in any subsequent proceedings. 

12. The parties hereby further agree that this protocol will be applicable presuit and 

may be used to initiate depositions before an action has been filed, so long as a complaint is 

filed in this MDL proceeding at least ten (10) days before the deposition proceeds. 

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PROPOSED ORDER RE: PROTOCOL FOR IN EXTREMIS DEPOSITIONS 

CASE NO. 16-md-02691-RS 

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13. The parties agree that to the extent this protocol is inconsistent with any 

requirements of Rule 27 regarding petitions, notice, etc., that no motion will be made by either 

party to limit the deposition testimony in any way on that basis so long as the request is 

consistent with this protocol. 

14. This Order does not preclude the Defendant(s) from seeking other and further 

discovery from the Plaintiff, including additional deposition testimony. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: 

RICHARD SEEBORG 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 

August 1, 2017

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