2007 Decisions

Opinions of the United

States Court of Appeals

for the Third Circuit

8-17-2007

PA Empl Benefit v. Zeneca Inc

Precedential or Non-Precedential: Precedential

Docket No. 05-5340

Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/thirdcircuit_2007

This decision is brought to you for free and open access by the Opinions of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit at Villanova

University School of Law Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in 2007 Decisions by an authorized administrator of Villanova

University School of Law Digital Repository. For more information, please contact Benjamin.Carlson@law.villanova.edu.

Recommended Citation

"PA Empl Benefit v. Zeneca Inc" (2007). 2007 Decisions. Paper 502.

http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/thirdcircuit_2007/502
PRECEDENTIAL 

THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

Case No: 05-5340

PENNSYLVANIA EMPLOYEES BENEFIT TRUST FUND

on behalf of itself and all others

similarly situated; JOSEPH MACKEN;

COMMISSIONER LINDA A. WATTERS,

 Appellants

 v.

ZENECA INC; ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS

LP;

_____________________

On Appeal from the United States District Court

for the District of Delaware

District Court No.: 05-cv-00075

District Judge: The Honorable Sue L. Robinson

_____________________

Argued June 5, 2007
 The Honorable Eugene E. Siler, Senior Circuit Judge for the *

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, sitting by

designation. 

2

Before: SMITH, COWEN, and SILER, Circuit Judges,

*

(Filed: August 17, 2007)

Counsel:

Pamela S. Tikellis

A. Zachary Naylor

Chimicles & Tikellis

One Rodney Square

P.O. Box 1035, Suite 500

Wilmington, DE 19899

Barbara J. Hart

Christopher McDonald

Labaton, Sucharow & Rudoff

100 Park Avenue, 12th Floor

New York, NY 10017

Theodore M. Lieverman

Jeffrey L. Kodroff

Spector, Roseman & Kodroff

1818 Market Street, Suite 2500

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Steve W. Berman

Craig R. Spiegel (Argued)
3

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro

1301 5th Avenue, Suite 2900

Seattle, WA 98101

Counsel for Appellants

Jack B. Blumenfeld

Rudolph J. Scaggs, Jr. 

Lisa K. Whittaker

Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell

1201 North Market Street

P.O. Box 1347

Wilmington, DE 19899

Mark E. Haddad (Argued)

Sidley Austin

555 West 5th Street, Suite 4000

Los Angeles, CA 90013

Counsel for Appellee

_____________________

OPINION OF THE COURT

_____________________

SMITH, Circuit Judge.

The Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund, Joseph

Macken, and Linda Watters (“plaintiffs”) sued Zeneca, Inc. and

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, L.P. (collectively referred to as

“Zeneca”) in the United States District Court for the District of

Delaware, asserting that Zeneca engaged in deceptive conduct
 The District Court had diversity jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. 1

§ 1332(d)(2) and (6), which confers federal jurisdiction over

class actions where “any member of a class of plaintiffs is a

citizen of a State different from any defendant” and the amount

in controversy exceeds $5,000,000. This Court has jurisdiction

4

in the advertising of its new drug Nexium. Claim One alleged

unlawful advertising under the Delaware Consumer Fraud Act

(“DCFA”). The second claim alleged violations of the consumer

protection statutes of the 50 states for false, misleading, and

deceptive advertising. Claim Three alleged unjust enrichment,

and stated claims under Delaware common law for restitution,

disgorgement, and constructive trust. The fourth claim was for

negligent misrepresentation, and it alleged that the company

released misleading advertisements for the prescription drug

Nexium. The District Court dismissed the complaint with

prejudice. 

This appeal presents two principal questions: (1) whether

the DCFA exemption for advertising regulated by the Federal

Trade Commission applies to the facts of this case; and (2)

whether federal law preempts the plaintiffs’ state consumer

protection claims. The plaintiffs also assert that primary

jurisdiction was an improper basis for dismissal, that their unjust

enrichment claim was improperly dismissed on the ground that

they had not pled individual reliance, and that they should have

been allowed to amend their complaint. We will affirm the

judgment of the District Court.1
pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1291 and 1294.

 On April 13, 2006, Zeneca filed a motion to dismiss the 2

appeal as to seven of the original ten plaintiffs on the ground

that the notice of appeal included only the Pennsylvania

Employees Benefit Trust Fund, Joseph Macken, and Linda

Watters. The three named plaintiffs contested the motion to

dismiss, which is now before us. Because of our disposition of

this case, we need not reach this issue. We will deny the motion

to dismiss as moot.

Nexium is the proprietary name for esomeprazole 3

magnesium.

5

I.

On February 11, 2005, the plaintiffs filed a putative class

2

action against Zeneca, alleging that Zeneca’s marketing

campaign for Nexium was deceptive because it misleadingly 3

advertised Nexium as an improvement on Prilosec. Nexium and

Prilosec are both proton-pump inhibitors, drugs that treat

gastroesophageal reflux disease (“GERD”) and erosive

esophagitis, conditions that are commonly known as acid reflux

disease and frequent heartburn. Prilosec was a profitable drug

for Zeneca, and had sales of $6 billion in 2000. The patent for

Prilosec was due to expire in 2001, at which point it would be

available for sale as the generic drug omeprazole. On February

14, 2001, Zeneca obtained approval from the Food and Drug

Administration (“FDA”) for final labeling on Nexium for
6

healing of erosive esophagitis, maintenance of healing of

erosive esophagitis, and treatment of symptomatic GERD (i.e.,

heartburn). 

One published clinical study of Nexium compared both

20 mg and 40 mg doses of Nexium to the approved 20 mg dose

of Prilosec. The data from this study showed that 40 mg of

Nexium had a statistically significant healing rate over 20 mg of

omeprazole. This study was among those used to obtain FDA

approval of Zeneca’s new drug application for Nexium. The

FDA later determined that Nexium should be approved at

recommended dosages of 20 mg or 40 mg once daily, for four to

eight weeks, for the healing of erosive esophagitis, and at 20 mg

for both maintenance of healing of erosive esophagitis and

symptomatic GERD.

In their complaint, plaintiffs alleged that the large-scale

promotional campaign for Nexium, which included both

physician-directed marketing and direct-to-consumer

advertising, was misleading because it incorrectly represented

that Nexium was superior to Prilosec. The plaintiffs asserted that

a dose of 40 mg is not needed in most patients and a fair

comparison of 20 mg of Nexium to 20 mg of Prilosec would not

have proven Nexium to be superior. The plaintiffs also

contended that Zeneca initially sold Nexium at a price below

Prilosec in order to establish brand loyalty, but “then raised the

price of Nexium while the price of Prilosec dropped. [Nexium]

now sells for $4.09 per pill versus $0.67 per pill or less for
7

Prilosec.” On November 8, 2005, the District Court granted

Zeneca’s motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim.

We review the grant of a motion to dismiss de novo,

accepting all well-pleaded allegations as true and drawing all

reasonable inferences in favor of the plaintiffs. In re Adams

Golf, Inc. Sec. Litig., 381 F.3d 267, 273 (3d Cir. 2004); In re

Alpharma Sec. Litig., 372 F.3d 137, 146 (3d Cir. 2004). Review

of the denial of leave to amend is for abuse of discretion. Hill v.

City of Scranton, 411 F.3d 118, 134 (3d Cir. 2005). 

II.

The Application of the DCFA Exemption

The first issue raised on appeal is whether FDA approval

of prescription drug labeling and regulation of advertising brings

the plaintiffs’ claims within the DCFA exemption of “any

advertising or merchandising practice” that is compliant with

Federal Trade Commission regulations. The purpose of the

DCFA is “to protect consumers and legitimate business

enterprises from unfair or deceptive merchandising practices in

the conduct of any trade or commerce in part or wholly within

this State.” 6 DEL. CODE ANN. § 2512. The DCFA proscribes 

The act, use or employment by any person of any

deception, fraud, false pretense, false promise,

misrepresentation, or the concealment,
8

suppression, or omission of any material fact with

intent that others rely upon such concealment,

suppression or omission, in connection with the

sale, lease or advertisement of any merchandise,

whether or not any person has in fact been misled,

deceived or damaged thereby....

6 DEL. CODE ANN. § 2513(a). The exemption language in the

DCFA at issue states that “[t]his section shall not apply ... [t]o

any advertisement or merchandising practice which is subject to

and complies with the rules and regulations, of and the statutes

administered by, the Federal Trade Commission....” 6 DEL.

CODE ANN. § 2513(b)(2). The District Court concluded that all

of the advertising materials cited by the plaintiffs in their

complaint “are related to the safety and efficacy of Nexium, are

consistent with the FDA-approved labeling and, therefore, are

not actionable under the DCFA pursuant to 6 Del. C. §

2513(b)(2).” 

Plaintiffs argue that the exemption should be read more

narrowly than the District Court read it, and that, properly

construed, the exemption did not protect Zeneca’s conduct. In

particular, plaintiffs assert that (1) the exemption is limited to

conduct expressly approved by the FTC; (2) the FDA did not

explicitly approve Zeneca’s marketing campaign; and (3)

Zeneca’s marketing deviated from statements approved by the

FDA for Nexium’s label. Zeneca points to the broad

prohibitions in 15 U.S.C. §§ 45 and 52, which declare unlawful

unfair methods of competition and the dissemination of false
9

advertisements, as proof that prescription drug advertising is

subject to the statutes administered by the FTC. 

As a preliminary matter, we decline to read the DCFA

exemption to require that an advertisement or merchandising

practice must be expressly approved by the FTC in order to

qualify for the exclusion. The plain language of § 2513(b)(2)

requires only that the conduct be subject to and compliant with

rules and regulations created by the FTC and the statutes

administered by that agency. Accordingly, the lack of express

FTC approval of the Nexium marketing campaign is not a basis

for declaring the statutory exemption inapplicable. 

We are left, then, with the thornier question presented by

plaintiffs’ assertion that the exemption’s reach does not extend

to matters subject to FDA oversight. By congressional decree,

the FTC and the FDA originally shared jurisdiction over

prescription drug advertising. See Pub. L. No. 87-781, 76 Stat.

791-92 (1962) (codified as amended at 21 U.S.C. § 352(n)); see

also 15 U.S.C. §§ 45 and 52; 21 U.S.C. § 352(n) (removing any

“advertisement of a prescription drug, published after the

effective date of regulations issued under this paragraph

applicable to advertisements of prescription drugs,” from the

purview of the provisions of 15 U.S.C. §§ 52-57); 21 U.S.C. §

393(b)(1) (“The [FDA] shall ... promote the public health by ...

taking appropriate action on the marketing of regulated products

in a timely manner”). Because Congress gave the agencies

concurrent jurisdiction with respect to regulating prescription
 The FDA promulgated preliminary regulations on 4

prescription drug advertising in 1975. 40 Fed. Reg. 14106 (Mar.

27, 1975). 

10

drug advertising until the FDA promulgated regulations, the

FDA and FTC established their own interim division of

responsibilities. In the Working Agreement Between FTC and 4

Food and Drug Administration, 36 Fed. Reg. 18,539 (Sept. 16,

1971), the two agencies agreed that “[t]he Food and Drug

Administration has primary responsibility with respect to the

regulation of the truth or falsity of prescription drug

advertising.” This statement does not preclude FTC regulation

of prescription drug advertising, but rather notes the agencies’

mutual understanding that the FDA will take the lead in

regulating such activities, subject to the concurrent jurisdiction

of both agencies. The statement explicitly limits the FDA’s

primary responsibility to determining the veracity of the

advertising claims; it does not suggest that regulating technically

true, but potentially misleading, advertisements is the exclusive

domain of the FDA. Accordingly, this arrangement alone does

not remove the claims regarding Nexium advertising from the

purview of regulations and statutes administered by the FTC.

However, the FDA’s subsequent promulgation of regulations for

prescription drug advertising effectively eliminated the FTC’s

authority in this area. 

Even if Zeneca can show that the marketing was almost

identical to the specifically authorized labeling, the FDA is not
 In Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corp. v. Richardson-Vicks, Inc.,

5

902 F.2d 222 (3d Cir. 1990), we summarized the division of

regulatory authority in this manner: “the FDA regulates the

labeling of OTC drugs while the FTC monitors the advertising

for these drugs.” Id. at 227. The facts and law at issue in Sandoz

are distinguishable and we need not follow its dicta in this case.

In Sandoz, the Court was concerned with the question of

whether a Lanham Act plaintiff needs to show only that the

defendant’s advertising claims of its own drug’s effectiveness

are inadequately substantiated under FDA guidelines, or whether

the plaintiff must also show that the claims are literally false or

are misleading to the public. Id. at 224, 229. The dispute in

Sandoz was also over the marketing of an over-the-counter drug.

OTC drugs and prescription drugs are subject to different rules

and regulations. Compare id. at 227 (“The FTC has the authority

under Sections 5 and 12 of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 45 & 52,

to find that an inadequately substantiated advertising claim

regarding a non-prescription drug is deceptive or misleading,

and thus illegal.”), with 21 C.F.R. § 202.1. Thus, our opinion in

Sandoz has little applicability to this case.

11

merely acting as the FTC’s proxy in regulating prescription drug

advertising. The FDA has responsibility for regulating the

advertising of prescription drugs that is independent of any

delegation from the FTC.5

Although there is an affinity between FTC and FDA
 For example, Zeneca points to FDA guidance that expressly 6

permits drug manufacturers to describe newly approved drugs

as “new” for six months after their launch, see

http://www.fda.gov/cder/ddmac/FAQS.HTM (explaining that

“DDMAC [the Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and

Communications] generally considers that ‘New’ is an accurate

description of the marketing phase for six months from the time

a product is initially marketed”), and the FTC’s similar opinion

that there is a “tentative outer limit for use of the claim [that a

product is ‘new’] ... [of] a period of time no longer than 6

months.” Permissible Period of Time During Which New

Product May Be Described as “New,” 32 Fed. Reg. 6023, 6023

(Apr. 14, 1967). The mere fact that the agencies have similar

interpretations only shows inter-agency consistency; it does not

show that the FTC was the regulating entity. 

 21 C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(4)(i)(a) (“The advertisement shall 7

present information from labeling required, approved, or

permitted in a new-drug application relating to each specific side

effect and contraindication in such labeling that relates to the

12

guidance and the scope of the Federal Trade Commission Act 6

(“FTCA”) is broad, the reasoning of the District Court rests on

the premise that advertising that is based upon labeling approved

by the FDA falls within the DCFA exemption. This is an

unsupportable extension of the language of § 2513(b)(3). 

The distinction between labeling and marketing is

significant for regulatory purposes. Although there is often a

strong correlation between a drug’s labeling and marketing ,

7
uses of the advertised drug dosage form(s)....”); Requirements

on Content and Format of Labeling for Human Prescription

Drug and Biological Products, 71 Fed. Reg. 3922, 3960 (Jan. 24,

2006) (“[S]tatements made in promotional labeling and

advertisements must be consistent with all information included

in labeling under proposed § 201.57(c) to comply with current

§§ 201.100(d)(1) and 202.1(e).”); Professional Product

Labeling; Public Meeting, 60 Fed. Reg. 52196, 52196 (Oct. 5,

1995) (“The approved labeling serves as the basis for fulfilling

the requirement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ...

that prescription drug advertising include ‘information in brief

summary relating to side effects, contraindications, and

effectiveness.’ (section 502(n) of the Act (21 U.S.C.

§ 352(n)).”).

13

federal approval of labeling does not necessarily authorize

marketing practices. Labeling is defined as “all labels and other

written, printed, or graphic matter (1) upon any article or any of

its containers or wrappers, or (2) accompanying such article.” 21

U.S.C. § 321(m). It functions as “the primary mechanism

through which FDA and drug manufacturers communicate

essential, science-based prescribing information to health care

professionals.” Requirements on Content and Format of

Labeling for Human Prescription Drugs and Biologics;

Requirements for Prescription Drug Product Labels, 65 Fed.

Reg. 81082, 81082 (Dec. 22, 2000); see also 21 C.F.R.

§ 202.1(l)(2) (stating that material such as “[b]rochures,

booklets, mailing pieces, detailing pieces, file cards, bulletins,

calendars, price lists, catalogs, house organs, letters, [etc.] ...
14

descriptive of a drug and references published (for example, the

‘Physicians Desk Reference’) for use by medical practitioners,

pharmacists, or nurses, containing drug information supplied by

the manufacturer, packer, or distributor of the drug and which

are disseminated by or on behalf of its manufacturer, packer, or

distributor are hereby determined to be labeling” (emphasis

added)). 

In contrast, advertisements are published in journals,

magazines, and newspapers, and are broadcast through media

such as television and radio. Advertisements also come in the

form of physician-directed pitches by sales representatives,

computer programs, and electronic media. See 21 C.F.R.

§ 202.1(l)(1). Although advertising may also serve as a

mechanism to distribute safety information about a drug, its

primary purpose–unlike labeling–is not to promote safety but

rather to promote market expansion. See, e.g., Agency

Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of

Management and Budget Review; Comment Request;

Experimental Evaluation of Variations in Content and Format of

the Brief Summary in Direct-to-Consumer Print Advertisements

for Prescription Drugs, 72 Fed. Reg. 11889, 11889 (March 14,

2007) (“Although advertising of prescription drugs was once

primarily addressed to health professionals, increasingly

consumers have become a target audience, as DTC advertising

has dramatically increased in the past few years. ... Frequently,

sponsors print in small type, verbatim, the risk-related sections

of the approved product labeling (also called the package insert,
15

professional labeling, or prescribing information). This labeling

is written for health professionals, using medical terminology.”).

Zeneca has shown, through documentary evidence, that the FDA

approved its labeling. However, the plaintiffs contend that the

advertising differed sufficiently from the labeling such that it

cannot also be considered to have been approved by the FDA.

Approval of a new drug application occurs “after [the

FDA] determines that the drug meets the statutory standards for

safety and effectiveness, manufacturing and controls, and

labeling....” 21 C.F.R. § 314.105(c) (emphasis added). The

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”), 21 U.S.C. § 301, et

seq., requires that applicants for new drug applications submit

“[c]opies of the label and all labeling for the drug product,” 21

C.F.R. § 314.50(e)(2)(ii), and it specifically prohibits

misbranding of drugs. “A drug or device shall be deemed to be

misbranded ... if its labeling is false or misleading in any

particular.” 21 U.S.C. § 352(a); 21 C.F.R. § 1.21(a)(i)-(ii)

(“Labeling of a ... drug ... shall be deemed to be misleading if it

fails to reveal facts that are: (1) Material in light of other

representations made or suggested by statement, word, design,

device or any combination thereof; or (2) Material with respect

to consequences which may result from use of the article under:

(i) The conditions prescribed in such labeling or (ii) such

conditions of use as are customary or usual.”). The FDA may

refuse to approve an application on the grounds that “[t]he

proposed labeling is false or misleading in any particular.” 21

C.F.R. § 314.125(b)(6). Thus, to the extent that the advertising
 The FDA’s determination that a statement is not false or 8

misleading is, of course, distinct from a determination that the

presentation of that statement is not misleading. The regulations

provide that 

An advertisement may be false, lacking in fair

balance, or otherwise misleading ... if it ... [f]ails

to present information relating to side effects and

contraindications with a prominence and

readability reasonably comparable with the

presentation of information relating to

effectiveness of the drug, taking into account all

implementing factors such as typography, layout,

contrast, headlines, paragraphing, white space,

and any other techniques apt to achieve emphasis.

21 C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(7)(viii). Through these regulations, the

FDA has gone beyond the mere supervision of veracity in

advertising statements to examine how the information is

presented. 

16

statements regarding Nexium were consistent with statements

used in the labeling approved by the FDA, the FDA has

determined that they are not false or misleading.8

The FDA’s Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and

Communications advises drug makers on proposed advertising

and promotional labeling, in accordance with 21 C.F.R.

§ 202.1(j)(4). However, this review process is largely voluntary.
17

Id. (“Any advertisement may be submitted to the Food and Drug

Administration prior to publication for comment.”); but see 21

C.F.R. § 314.81(b)(3) (“The applicant shall submit specimens of

mailing pieces and any other labeling or advertising devised for

promotion of the drug product at the time of initial

dissemination of the labeling and at the time of initial

publication of the advertisement for a prescription drug

product.”). Section 352(n) of the FDCA exempts the content of

any advertisement from pre-release Secretarial scrutiny, except

in “extraordinary circumstances.” 21 U.S.C. § 352(n)(A). 

Whether Zeneca is correct in its assertion that the

complaint is fundamentally “based on” the labeling is a legal

question. The complaint attacks both the actual marketing tactics

used by Zeneca, as well as the studies upon which FDA

approval was based. To the extent that the complaint alleges that

Zeneca marketed Nexium as superior to Prilosec, those claims

of superiority might be actionable inasmuch as such

comparisons are not supported by the labeling and therefore

might be false or misleading. Although we need not decide this

question now, we note that the FDA’s regulations require

prescription drug advertisements to comport with approved

labeling. See, e.g., 21 C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(3)(iii) (“The

information relating to side effects and contraindications shall

disclose each specific side effect and contraindication ...

contained in required, approved, or permitted labeling for the

advertised drug....”); Thomas A. Hayes, Drug Labeling and

Promotion: Evolution and Application of Regulatory Policy, 51
18

FOOD & DRUG L.J. 57, 62 (1996) (explaining that, under the

regulations, “advertising claims may be based either on

substantial evidence or on substantial clinical experience,” but

the standard for labeling is substantial evidence); see 21 C.F.R.

§ 201.56(a)(3) (disallowing claims or suggestions of drug use on

labeling if there is a lack of substantial evidence). 

Congress expressly gave the FDA authority over

prescription drug advertising in the FDCA. The FDCA lists a

number of required elements of prescription drug advertising

and states that “no advertisement of a prescription drug,

published after the effective date of regulations issued under this

paragraph applicable to advertisements of prescription drugs,

shall with respect to the matters specified in this paragraph or

covered by such regulations, be subject to the provisions of

sections 52 to 57 of Title 15.” 21 U.S.C. § 352(n). Section 52 of

Title 15 declares unlawful the dissemination of false

advertisements. Subsection 352(n) of the FDCA was added in

1962. Pub. L. 87-781, § 131(a). 

The DCFA became law in 1965. See Brandywine

Volkswagen, Ltd. v. State Dept. of Community Affairs and Econ.

Dev., Div. of Consumer Affairs, 312 A.2d 632, 633 (Del. 1973)

(citing 55 Del.L., Ch. 46.). In enacting this statute, the Delaware

General Assembly expressed its intent “to protect consumers

and legitimate business enterprises from unfair or deceptive

merchandising practices.” 6 DEL. CODE ANN. § 2512. The

legislature also explicitly declared its “intent ... that such
19

practices be swiftly stopped and that this subchapter shall be

liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying

purposes and policies.” Id. Reading the exemption in

§ 2513(b)(2) to exclude from the scope of the DCFA marketing

practices that are subject to the rules and regulations of the

FDA, and which are required to be based on labeling that is

expressly approved and required by the FDA, improperly

broadens the reach of the exemption beyond its explicit

limitation to practices that are compliant with FTC rules and

regulations. We will not rewrite the text of the exemption to

include regulation of activities that are not within the FTC’s

authority. Accordingly, we hold that the District Court erred in

ruling that the plaintiffs’ claims were not actionable under the

DCFA. 

III.

Preemption

The District Court further concluded that the Nexium

advertisements that complied with the FDA-approved labeling

were not actionable under the state consumer protection laws

because those laws were preempted by federal law. The District

Court correctly analyzed this issue under the rubric of implied

conflict preemption. Plaintiffs assert that the District Court’s

application of federal preemption is incorrect because there is

not an irreconcilable conflict between the state consumer fraud

laws and the FDCA. In particular, the plaintiffs argue that the
20

approval of Nexium’s labeling did not extend to an assertion of

Nexium’s superiority over Prilosec.

Implied conflict preemption renders state law “without

effect” when, without “express congressional command,” state

law conflicts with federal law. See Cipollone v. Liggett Group,

Inc., 505 U.S. 504, 516 (1992). As the Supreme Court has

explained, “[t]his question is basically one of congressional

intent. Did Congress, in enacting the Federal Statute, intend to

exercise its constitutionally delegated authority to set aside the

laws of a State? If so, the Supremacy Clause requires courts to

follow federal, not state, law.” Barnett Bank of Marion County,

N.A. v. Nelson, 517 U.S. 25, 30 (1996). The Court has “found

implied conflict pre-emption ... where state law ‘stands as an

obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full

purposes and objectives of Congress.’” Sprietsma v. Mercury

Marine, a Div. of Brunswick Corp., 537 U.S. 51, 64-65 (2002)

(quoting Freightliner Corp. v. Myrick, 514 U.S. 280, 287 (1995)

(quoting Hines v. Davidowitz, 312 U.S. 52, 67 (1941))). Thus,

the question presented here is whether state consumer fraud laws

pose an obstacle to the FDA’s congressionally-mandated

regulation of prescription drug advertising.

For purposes of this case, the critical characteristic of the

FDCA is that it regulates the safety of drugs. The FDCA states

that the mission of the FDA is to “(1) promote the public health

by promptly and efficiently reviewing clinical research and

taking appropriate action on the marketing of regulated products
21

in a timely manner; (2) with respect to such products, protect the

public health by ensuring that ... (B) human ... drugs are safe and

effective.” 21 U.S.C. § 393(b). Prior to the introduction of a new

drug, the FDA must find that the “drug is safe for use under the

conditions prescribed, recommended, or suggested in the

proposed labeling thereof.” 21 U.S.C. § 355(d) (explaining in

detail the seven-part test that the FDA uses in determining

whether to approve a drug); see also Grinspoon v. DEA, 828

F.2d 881, 887 (1st Cir. 1987). As part of this process, the FDA

must find that there is “substantial evidence that the drug will

have the effect it purports or is represented to have....” Id.

During the approval process, the Secretary may determine,

“based on relevant science, that data from one adequate and

well-controlled clinical investigation and confirmatory evidence

(obtained prior to or after such investigation) are sufficient to

establish effectiveness....” Id. (emphasis added). Such data and

evidence constitute “substantial evidence” under 21 U.S.C.

§ 355. 

Section 352(n) lists three items that prescription drug

advertising must include: (1) the actual name of the drug, if a

trade or brand name is used; (2) the ingredient list and

quantitative formula for each ingredient; and (3) a brief

summary of side effects, contraindications, and effectiveness.

The subsection is called the “brief summary” provision. It

requires a true statement of these three items in the brief

summary included in advertisements. The statute explains that,

to the extent that an advertisement complies with subsection (n)
22

in listing the three items, it is not subject to the false advertising

provisions of the FTCA. However, as noted above, § 352(n)

requires only pre-release approval of advertisements in

“extraordinary circumstances.”

Pursuant to its regulatory authority over prescription drug

advertising, the FDA promulgated regulations that lay out the

specific requirements for advertising prescription drugs. See 21

C.F.R. § 202.1. In particular, the regulations stipulate that an

advertisement does not include a “true statement” if it is 

[F]alse or misleading with respect to side effects,

contraindications, or effectiveness; or [i]t fails to

present a fair balance between information

relating to side effects and contraindications and

information relating to effectiveness of the drug

in that the information relating to effectiveness ...

is not fairly balanced by a presentation of a

summary of true information relating to side

effects and contraindications of the drug ...; [or]

[i]t fails to reveal facts material in the light of its

representations or material with respect to

consequences that may result from the use of the

drug as recommended or suggested in the

advertisement. 

21 C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(5). The regulation includes an extensive,

but non-exhaustive, 20-factor list of reasons why “[a]n

advertisement for a prescription drug is false, lacking in fair
 Subsection (e)(6)(ii) deems an advertisement misleading if 9

it “[c]ontains a drug comparison that represents or suggests that

a drug is safer or more effective than another drug in some

particular when it has not been demonstrated to be safer or more

effective in such particular by substantial evidence or substantial

clinical experience.” 21 C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(6)(ii). Although the

FDA did not explicitly approve Zeneca’s advertising, the FDA

did approve Nexium’s labeling, which included clinical studies

that showed statistically significant healing rates for 40 mg of

Nexium as compared to 20 mg of omeprazole. The regulations

explain that the clinical studies section “must discuss those

clinical studies that facilitate an understanding of how to use the

drug safely and effectively. Ordinarily, this section will describe

the studies that support effectiveness for the labeled

indication(s)....” 21 C.F.R. § 201.57(c)(15). 

23

balance, or otherwise misleading....” 21 C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(6)(i)-

(xx). The subsequent subsection explains the circumstances

9

under which “[a]n advertisement may be false, lacking in fair

balance, or otherwise misleading....” 21 C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(7)

(emphasis added). The regulations further state that

“[d]issemination of an advertisement not in compliance with this

paragraph shall be deemed to be an act that causes the drug to be

misbranded....” 21 C.F.R. § 202.1(j)(3). The FDA explains that

“[a]ny advertisement may be submitted to the Food and Drug

Administration prior to publication for comment,” but does not

require that manufacturers submit their ads for preapproval. 21

C.F.R. § 202.1(j)(4). However, the FDA does require

manufacturers to submit advertising specimens “at the time of
 Congress did not always concede jurisdiction over 10

prescription drug advertising to the FDA. When the FDCA was

passed in 1938, Congress left the authority to police “unfair or

deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce” with the

FTC. Pub. L. No. 75-717, 52 Stat. 1040 (1938), as amended 21

U.S.C. § 301 et seq.; Wheeler-Lea Act, 52 Stat. 111, ch. 49

(1938) (amending section 5 of the FTCA, Pub. L. No. 63-203,

38 Stat. 717, 719 (1914) (prohibiting “unfair methods of

24

initial publication of the advertisement for a prescription drug

product.” 21 C.F.R. § 314.81(b)(3)(i) (requiring transmittal of

the advertisement with Form FDA-2253). 

The degree of discretion inherent in the regulations

demonstrates that the FDA envisioned itself occupying an

ongoing and extensive role in the supervision of prescription

drug advertising. See, e.g., 60 Fed. Reg. at 44210 (“In order to

carry out the public health protection purposes of the act, FDA:

... (3) monitors drug labeling and prescription drug advertising

to help ensure that they provide accurate information about drug

products.”); Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription

Drugs; Withdrawal of Moratorium, 50 Fed. Reg. 36,677, 36,677

(Sept. 9, 1985) (“FDA will continue to regulate prescription

drug advertising, regardless of its intended audience, in

accordance with section 502(n) of the Federal Food, Drug, and

Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 352(n)) and the implementing

regulations (21 CFR Part 202).”). Furthermore, Congress shared

that vision. See 21 U.S.C. § 352(n); 21 U.S.C. § 393(b)(1).10
competition in commerce”)). It was not until the 1962 KefauverHarris Drug Amendments, which enacted section 502(n) of the

FDCA, that regulatory authority over prescription drug

advertising was transferred to the FDA. Pub. L. No. 87-781,

§ 131(a), 76 Stat. 791-92 (1962). For a more complete recitation

of the history of direct-to-consumer advertising, see Francis B.

Palumbo and C. Daniel Mullins, The Development of Direct-toConsumer Prescription Drug Advertising Regulation, 57 FOOD

& DRUG L.J. 423, 424-31 (2002). 

 The dissent correctly notes that “we start with the 11

assumption that the historic police powers of the States were not

to be superseded by the Federal Act unless that was the clear and

manifest purpose of Congress.” Rice v. Santa Fe Elevator Corp.,

331 U.S. 218, 230 (1947). The prevention of consumer fraud has

traditionally been within the purview of the states. This

historical preference does not foreclose the possibility of

preemption, where applicable. See, e.g., Gen. Motors Corp. v.

Abrams, 897 F.2d 34, 36 (2d Cir. 1990) (“While the protection

of consumers from unfair practices is a traditional state police

power function, federal laws and administrative regulations may

25

However, neither the language of the FDCA nor the regulations

explicitly preempt state consumer fraud law. 

The central tenet of preemption analysis is that “‘[t]he

purpose of Congress is the ultimate touchstone’” in determining

whether state law is preempted. Cipollone, 505 U.S. at 516

(quoting Retail Clerks v. Schermerhorn, 375 U.S. 96, 103

(1963)). However, the Supreme Court has long indicated that 11
operate in tandem with–or even preempt–state law under the

Supremacy Clause....”). 

26

agency regulations are also a source of preemptive law. See,

e.g., Louisiana Public Serv. Comm’n v. FCC, 476 U.S. 355, 369

(1986) (“Pre-emption may result not only from action taken by

Congress itself; a federal agency acting within the scope of its

congressionally delegated authority may pre-empt state

regulation.”). In Medtronic, Inc. v. Lohr, 518 U.S. 470 (1996),

the Court considered FDA regulations in the course of its

preemption analysis and noted that, under the regulations, “state

requirements are pre-empted ‘only’ when the FDA has

established ‘specific counterpart regulations or ... other specific

requirements applicable to a particular device.’” Id. at 498

(quoting 21 C.F.R. § 808.1(d)). While the Court emphasized

congressional intent in determining whether preemption was

appropriate, id. at 485-86, the Court also looked to the “statutory

and regulatory language” in evaluating “the allegedly preempting federal requirement and the allegedly pre-empted state

requirement....” Id. at 500.

Similarly, in Geier v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc.,

529 U.S. 861 (2000), the Court examined whether the National

Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, and a standard

promulgated under it by the Department of Transportation,

preempted a state common law tort action “in which the plaintiff

claims that the defendant auto manufacturer, who was in

compliance with the standard, should nonetheless have equipped
27

a 1987 automobile with airbags.” Id. at 865. The Court

concluded that “the Act, taken together with FMVSS 208 [the

agency-promulgated standard], pre-empts the lawsuit.” Id.

(emphasis added). Both Medtronic and Geier suggest the sort of

confluence between congressional purpose and agency purpose

that had previously been recognized in Fidelity Federal Savings

and Loan Association v. de la Cuesta, 458 U.S. 141 (1982):

Federal regulations have no less pre-emptive

effect than federal statutes. Where Congress has

directed an administrator to exercise his

discretion, his judgments are subject to judicial

review only to determine whether he has

exceeded his statutory authority or acted

arbitrarily. United States v. Shimer, 367 U.S. 374,

381-82 (1961). When the administrator

promulgates regulations intended to pre-empt

state law, the court’s inquiry is similarly limited.

Id. at 153-54; see also Hillsborough County, Fla. v. Automated

Med. Labs., Inc., 471 U.S. 707, 713 (1985) (“[S]tate laws can be

pre-empted by federal regulations as well as by federal

statutes.”). Medtronic and Geier add to the preemption analysis

by suggesting that state laws are preempted when they frustrate

regulations that have been promulgated following a specific

inquiry into a particular area of agency authority. Leslie C.

Kendrick, FDA’s Regulation of Prescription Drug Labeling: A

Role for Implied Preemption, 62 FOOD & DRUG L.J. 227, 240-41

(2007). 
28

Following Medtronic and Geier, the Supreme Court

examined conflict preemption in Buckman Company v.

Plaintiffs’ Legal Committee, 531 U.S. 341 (2001). The Court

determined that fraud-on-the-FDA claims in state tort law were

preempted by the Medical Device Amendments, 21 U.S.C.

§ 360c, et seq. Id. at 348. The Court explained that “[t]he

conflict stems from the fact that the federal statutory scheme

amply empowers the FDA to punish and deter fraud against the

Administration, and that this authority is used by the

Administration to achieve a somewhat delicate balance of

statutory objectives.” Id. In so holding, the Court emphasized

the flexibility inherent in the statutory and regulatory

framework, and noted that such flexibility was necessary for the

FDA to pursue “difficult (and often competing) objectives.” Id.

at 349. The Court distinguished Medtronic, noting that “the

Medtronic claims arose from the manufacturer’s alleged failure

to use reasonable care in the production of the product, not

solely from the violation of FDCA requirements.” Id. at 352.

Because the “existence of these federal enactments [was] a

critical element in [the plaintiffs’] case,” the Court held that to

allow the claims to proceed “would exert an extraneous pull on

the scheme established by Congress....” Id. at 353. In the

plaintiffs’ claims against Zeneca under state consumer fraud

laws, the FDCA is not as clearly a “critical element,” because

plaintiffs may not need to show non-compliance with the FDCA

in order to prevail. However, allowing these claims to proceed

would unnecessarily frustrate the FDCA’s purpose and FDA

regulations, as the extent of agency involvement in regulating
29

prescription drug advertising is extensive and specific. See 21

C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(6)(i)-(xx) and (e)(7)(i)-(xiii); Draft Guidances

for Industry on Improving Information About Medical Products

and Health Conditions; Withdrawal; Availability, 69 Fed. Reg.

6308-01 (Feb. 10, 2004) (“FDA has responsibility under the

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) for regulating

advertising for prescription drugs.”).

An even stronger case for preemption occurs when FDAapproved labeling is the basis for allegedly fraudulent

representations made in prescription drug advertising. The

essential affinity between advertising and labeling is clear in the

composition of the FDCA and its associated regulations. 21

U.S.C. § 321(n) (explaining criteria for “determining whether

the labeling or advertising is misleading”); 21 U.S.C. § 352(n)

(requiring that all advertisements include “the formula showing

quantitatively each ingredient of such drug to the extent required

for labels”); see, e.g., 21 C.F.R. § 202.1(a)(2) (“The order of

listing of ingredients in the advertisement shall be the same as

the order of listing of ingredients on the label of the product, and

the information presented in the advertisement concerning the

quantity of each such ingredient shall be the same as the

corresponding information on the label of the product.”); 21

C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(3)(ii) (“[W]hen an advertisement contains a

broad claim that a drug is an antibacterial agent, the

advertisement shall name a type or types of infections and

microorganisms for which the drug is effective clinically as

specifically as required, approved, or permitted in the drug
30

package labeling.”). Although labeling is often directed at

medical practitioners, the rules that govern labeling form the

basis for the advertising regulations. See Requirements on

Content and Format of Labeling for Human Prescription Drug

and Biological Products, 71 Fed. Reg. 3922, 3961 (Jan. 24,

2006) (“The purpose of prescription drug labeling is to provide

health care practitioners information necessary for safe and

effective use.”); Prescription Drug Advertising; Content and

Format for Labeling of Human Prescription Drugs, 44 Fed. Reg.

37,434, 37,460 (June 26, 1979) (“The use of quantitative

statements of safety or effectiveness is permitted in drug

advertisements when the representation has been approved as

part of the labeling....”). Accordingly, the purpose of protecting

prescription drug users in the FDCA would be frustrated if states

were allowed to interpose consumer fraud laws that permitted

plaintiffs to question the veracity of statements approved by the

FDA.

Implied conflict preemption of state consumer fraud laws

is required in this setting because both the FDCA and FDA

regulations provide specific requirements for prescription drug

advertising. Congress specifically determined that “all ...

proceedings for the enforcement, or to restrain violations, of [the

FDCA] shall be by and in the name of the United States.” 21

U.S.C. § 337(a). The high level of specificity in federal law and

regulations with respect to prescription drug advertising is

irreconcilable with general state laws that purport to govern all

types of advertising. See, e.g., 21 U.S.C. § 352(n); 21 C.F.R.
 Plaintiffs also assert that the District Court erred in utilizing 12

the doctrine of primary jurisdiction in dismissing their complaint

because they had no opportunity to argue the applicability of

primary jurisdiction to their claims. Although the plaintiffs are

correct that a district court may not dismiss a complaint on

grounds that the plaintiffs had no opportunity to address, see

Mortensen v. First Federal Savings and Loan Association, 549

F.2d 884, 893 n.18 (3d Cir. 1977), invocation of primary

jurisdiction was, at most, an alternative holding. Because “we

[can] affirm the district court on any basis which finds support

in the record,” any error that may have occurred is harmless and

does not require reversal. United States v. Maker, 751 F.2d 614,

627 (3d Cir.1984) (quoting Bernitsky v. United States, 620 F.2d

948, 950 (3d Cir. 1980)).

Likewise, the plaintiffs’ unjust enrichment claims are

untenable as a result of our holding regarding the preemption of

the DCFA. The unjust enrichment claims do not rest on any

sounder footing than the fraud claims. Delaware defines unjust

enrichment as “the unjust retention of a benefit to the loss of

another, or the retention of money or property of another against

the fundamental principles of justice or equity and good

conscience.” Schock v. Nash, 732 A.2d 217, 232 (Del. 1999)

(quotation omitted). Because no fraud claim exists under the

DCFA due to the operation of preemption, there was no

deception by Zeneca cognizable in state law and therefore no

retention of money against the fundamental principles of justice

at issue in this case. See Bober v. Glaxo Wellcome PLC, 246

31

§ 314.81(b)(3). Accordingly, the plaintiffs’ state consumer fraud

claims are preempted.12
F.3d 934, 943 (7th Cir. 2001).

We have considered the other arguments raised, and

conclude that they are without merit and compel no separate

discussion. 

32

IV.

Leave to Amend

The decision whether to grant leave to amend is within

the discretion of the district court. Rolo v. City Investing Co.

Liquidating Trust, 155 F.3d 644, 654 (3d Cir. 1998). The

Supreme Court has explained that 

In the absence of any apparent or declared

reason–such as undue delay, bad faith or dilatory

motive on the part of the movant, repeated failure

to cure deficiencies by amendments previously

allowed, undue prejudice to the opposing party by

virtue of allowance of the amendment, futility of

amendment, etc.–the leave sought should, as the

rules require, be ‘freely given.’ 

Foman v. Davis, 371 U.S. 178, 182 (1962). The District Court

did not rule on appellants’ request for leave to amend. 

The plaintiffs amended their complaint once in response

to a motion to dismiss dated March 31, 2005 that advanced the

same arguments presented in the motion to dismiss at issue here.
33

Plaintiffs had an opportunity to revise their complaint in

response to the renewed objections, but failed to cure the

deficiencies. Additionally, although the plaintiffs suggest that

some additional facts might be pled in order to cure the defects

of the complaint, amendment would be futile. In particular, the

plaintiffs state that they could allege that “in negotiations

between the FDA and AstraZeneca regarding Nexium labeling,

the FDA stated it would not approve any representations by

AstraZeneca that Nexium is more effective than Prilosec, and

AstraZeneca responded it would not make any such statement.”

This will not overcome the deficiencies in the complaint because

the advertisements are not subject to state consumer fraud law,

as explained in part III.

V.

The DCFA exemption for advertisements or

merchandising practices which are subject to and compliant with

the rules and regulations of, and the statutes administered by, the

FTC, 6 DEL. CODE ANN. § 2513(b)(2), does not preclude the

plaintiffs’ suit. The language of the exemption circumscribes the

federal agencies to which advertisers may look in seeking to

exclude their conduct from the prohibition of § 2513(a). The

FDA is not referenced in subsection (b)(2), nor does the FDA

act as a proxy for the FTC in its regulation of prescription drug

advertising. We therefore decline to read that section more

broadly than the Delaware General Assembly plainly drafted it.
34

Although the DCFA exemption does not bar the

plaintiffs’ suit, their state consumer fraud claims are preempted

by federal law. By specifically excluding advertisements

covered by 21 U.S.C. § 352(n) and the regulations promulgated

thereunder from the scope of 15 U.S.C. § 52, Congress signaled

its intent to give the FDA exclusive authority to regulate

prescription drug advertising. The FDA has established specific

regulations regarding such advertising. To allow generalized

state consumer fraud laws to dictate the parameters of false and

misleading advertising in the prescription drug context would

pose an undue obstacle to both Congress’s and the FDA’s

objectives in protecting the nation’s prescription drug users.

Accordingly, the state consumer fraud laws are preempted by

the extensive federal legislative and regulatory framework. We

will affirm the judgment of the District Court. 
35

Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund, et al. v. Zeneca,

Inc., et al., No. 05-5340

Cowen, Circuit Judge, dissenting.

The majority’s conclusion that the FDCA and the

implementing regulations displace the Delaware Consumer

Fraud Act and the consumer protection statutes of the fifty states

“ignore[s] the teaching of th[e] [Supreme] Court’s decisions

which enjoin seeking out conflicts between state and federal

regulation where none clearly exists.” Huron Portland Cement

Co. v. City of Detroit, Mich., 362 U.S. 440, 446 (1960).

Because the state laws do not “stand[] as an obstacle to the

accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and

objectives” of the federal law, Hines v. Davidowitz, 312 U.S. 52,

67 (1941), I respectfully dissent.

I.

In areas of traditional state regulation, we start with “the
36

assumption that the historic police powers of the States were not

to be superseded by the Federal Act unless that was the clear and

manifest purpose of Congress.” Rice v. Santa Fe Elevator

Corp., 331 U.S. 218, 230 (1947); see also Medtronic, Inc. v.

Lohr, 518 U.S. 470, 485 (1996) (“[B]ecause the States are

independent sovereigns in our federal system, [it] ha[s] long

[been] presumed that Congress does not cavalierly pre-empt

state-law causes of action.”). The protection of consumers

against deceptive business practices is an area traditionally

regulated by the States. California v. ARC Am. Corp., 490 U.S.

93, 101 (1989) (“Given the long history of state common-law

and statutory remedies against . . . unfair business practices, it is

plain that this is an area traditionally regulated by the States.”

(footnote omitted)); Fla. Lime and Avocado Growers, Inc. v.

Paul, 373 U.S. 132, 146 (1963) (statute to “prevent the

deception of consumers” within scope of state’s police powers);

Plumley v. Commonwealth of Mass., 155 U.S. 461, 467 (1894)

(recognizing state’s power to “prevent[] deception or fraud in

the sales of property within their respective limits”). Similarly,

“[t]hroughout our history the several States have exercised their

police powers to protect the health and safety of their citizens.”

Medtronic, 518 U.S. at 475. As such, a presumption against a

finding of preemption clearly applies in this case. Applying the

presumption against preemption and general principles of

conflict preemption, I cannot agree with the majority’s finding

of preemption, as discussed below.
 Incidentally, the assertion that the mere “volume and 13

complexity” of agency regulations demonstrates an implicit

37

II.

A

.

My first point of disagreement lies with the majority’s

heavy reliance upon the high level of specificity in the federal

regulations as a basis for a finding of preemption. While the

prescription drug advertising regulations are unquestionably

detailed and extensive, it is well-established that a preemption

inquiry “cannot be judged by reference to broad statements

about the ‘comprehensive’ nature of federal regulation.” Head

v. N.M. Bd. of Exam’rs in Optometry, 374 U.S. 424, 429-30

(1963) (citations omitted); English v. Gen. Elec. Co., 496 U.S.

72, 87 (1990) (“Ordinarily, the mere existence of a federal

regulatory scheme, even one as detailed as § 210, does not by

itself imply pre-emption of state remedies.”); Hillsborough

County, Fla. v. Automated Med. Labs., Inc., 471 U.S. 707, 718

(1985) (“[I]f an agency does not speak to the question of

pre-emption, we will pause before saying that the mere volume

and complexity of its regulations indicate that the agency did in

fact intend to pre-empt.”).13
intent to displace all state law in a particular area is a field

preemption argument, Geier v. Am. Honda Motor Co., 529 U.S.

861, 884 (2000), which was never raised in this case.

 This is not an area of the law inherently requiring national 14

uniformity and ousting all related state law. As the Supreme

Court has explained, “every subject that merits congressional

legislation is, by definition, a subject of national concern. That

cannot mean, however, that every federalstatute ousts all related

state law.” Hillsborough, 471 U.S. at 719. Thus while

prescription drug advertising merits national concern, Congress

has not taken drug advertising from a health and safety issue

into a field of inherently national concern. See id. at 720-22

(federal regulations governing collection of blood plasma do not

preempt local ordinances on the same subject matter). Indeed,

even the FDA has acknowledged that “regulation of drug

labeling will not preempt all State law actions.” See Labeling

Rule, 71 Fed. Reg. 3922, 3934 (Jan. 24, 2006) (to be codified

at 21 C.F.R. pts. 201, 314, 601) (emphasis added).

38

Despite the volume and specificity of the federal

regulations, “state statutes, otherwise valid, must be upheld

unless there is found ‘such actual conflict between the two

schemes of regulation that both cannot stand in the same area,

[]or evidence of a congressional design to preempt the field.’”

Head, 374 U.S. at 430 (quoting Fla. Lime, 373 U.S. at 141); Fla.

Lime, 373 U.S. at 143 (finding “no inevitable collision between

the two schemes of regulation”). As discussed further below, 14

no such actual conflict has been demonstrated or found in this
 Even assuming arguendo that Congress wanted labeling 15

statements approved by the FDA to be immune to attack, that

federal interest would be served by preempting state law to the

extent that it afforded recovery to plaintiffs attacking the

labeling. Similarly, if Congress wanted advertisements approved

by the FDA to be immune to attack, that federal interest would

be served by preempting state law to the extent that it afforded

recovery to plaintiffs attacking the advertisements. Here,

plaintiffs are not attacking the labeling of Nexium. There is also

no record evidence that the FDA approved the Nexium

advertisements which they are challenging. Specifically, the

39

case.

B.

My second point of contention is with the majority’s

statement, at least within the context of this case, that

Congress’s purpose of protecting prescription drug users would

be frustrated if plaintiffs were permitted to question the veracity

of statements approved by the FDA. It is undisputed that the

FDA has not approved the veracity of the particular

advertisements in question, and, as discussed in greater detail

below, plaintiffs are not attacking, directly or indirectly, the

labeling approved by the FDA.15
FDA has not determined the veracity of advertisements touting

Nexium’s effectiveness as “compared with Prilosec”and

indicating the benefits of Nexium in “efficacy in short-term

healing” and “system control” in head-to-head studies with

Prilosec. 

40

The majority refers to the “essential affinity” between

advertising and labeling in support of its preemption finding.

Admittedly, in defining the scope and substance of certain

information to be included in drug advertisements, the FDA

regulations refer to the information required or permitted in the

approved labeling. See, e.g., 21 C.F.R. § 202.1(a)(1) (order of

listing of ingredients), (e)(3)(iii) (side effects and

contraindications), (e)(6)(xi) (conditions of drug use).

Consequently, a state-law claim, alleging that an advertisement

consistent with the approved labeling contains inadequate

disclosures or warnings regarding such matters as ingredients,

side effects, contraindications, and conditions of use, might

indirectly present a conflict with the FDA’s labeling

determination. That kind of case would present a more difficult

preemption question than the one presented here.

In the instant case, on the other hand, plaintiffs claim that

advertisements of Nexium contain a false and misleading drug

comparison. The labeling of a prescription drug does contain or

require a showing of a drug’s superiority over other drugs on the
 To be sure, the approved labeling for Nexium reproduces 16

the results of clinical studies comparing the two treatments.

According to FDA guidelines, however, the Clinical Studies

section of labeling is intended to “facilitate an understanding of

how to use the drug safely and effectively.” Inclusion of the

clinical studies are not intended to serve as an implicit agency

determination about the superiority of one drug over another. 

41

market. Unsurprisingly, then, the FDA has not rendered an

official opinion approving or disapproving a claim of superiority

of Nexium over Prilosec. As a result, there is no risk that a 16

successful state-law claim, alleging that Nexium advertisements

contain false and misleading drug comparisons, would conflict

with the FDA’s approval of the statements in the Nexium

labeling.

The FDA’s own prescription-drug advertising regulations

demonstrate as much. The regulations categorize as false and

misleading any advertisement that “[c]ontains a drug

comparison that represents or suggests that a drug is safer or

more effective than another drug in some particular when it has

not been demonstrated to be safer or more effective in such

particular by substantial evidence or substantial clinical

experience.” 21 C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(6)(ii). Unlike the labelingrelated provisions in the regulation, see, e.g., 21 C.F.R. §

202.1(a)(1), (e)(3)(iii), (e)(6)(xi), the false and misleading drug
42

comparison provision does not turn on the approved labeling,

but on the existence of “substantial evidence or substantial

clinical experience.” 21 C.F.R. § 202.1(e)(6)(ii). The “essential

affinity” between advertising and labeling, therefore, does not

subsist in a claim attacking a statement of drug superiority in an

advertisement.

In summary, because the FDA has not approved or

disapproved the veracity of the advertising statements that

plaintiffs challenge in this case, and plaintiffs’ particular

challenge does not question the veracity of any statements in the

labeling approved by the FDA, there is no likelihood that

plaintiffs’ claims would conflict with the FDA’s responsibility

in protecting prescription drug users. As stated by the late Chief

Justice Rehnquist, “merely identifying a purpose is not enough

[for conflict preemption]; it must also be shown that the state

law inevitably frustrates that purpose.” Jones v. Rath Packing

Co., 430 U.S. 519, 545 (1977) (Rehnquist, J., dissenting).

Emphasizing that point, he noted:

We must also be careful to distinguish those

situations in which the concurrent exercise of a

power by the Federal Government and the States

or by the States alone may possibly lead to
43

conflicts and those situations where conflicts will

necessarily arise. “It is not . . . a mere possibility

of inconvenience in the exercise of powers, but an

immediate constitutional repugnancy that can by

implication alienate and extinguish a pre-existing

right of (state) sovereignty.”

Id. (quoting The Federalist No. 32, p. 243 (B. Wright ed. 1961)).

Only if the purpose of the federal law cannot be

accomplished–if its operation must be frustrated and its

provisions be refused their natural effect–must the state law

yield to the regulation of Congress. Savage v. Jones, 225 U.S.

501, 533 (1912).

While the majority has identified the congressional

purpose of protecting prescription drug users, it has not

articulated how the state law must inevitably frustrate that

purpose. There is certainly no “immediate constitutional

repugnancy” between an extra-agency finding that a claim of

drug superiority in an advertisement is false and misleading and

the congressional purpose of protecting prescription drug users.

Jones, 430 U.S. at 545 (Rehnquist, J., dissenting) (internal

quotations marks and citation omitted). As such, I cannot agree

with the majority’s finding of preemption on that basis. 
44

C.

My third concern relates to the majority’s finding that

Congress’s exclusion of prescription drug advertisements from

the scope of 15 U.S.C. § 52 signals a congressional intention to

preempt state consumer fraud laws. The text of 21 U.S.C. §

352(n) only excludes coverage under 15 U.S.C. § 52 and does

not purport to bar state-law tort actions. Nor does the legislative

history to § 352(n) indicate a congressional purpose to supplant

state-law actions. See English, 496 U.S. at 88. Most

importantly, the exclusion of prescription drug advertisements

from coverage under the federal statute does not approach the

required “clear and manifest” congressional purpose to preempt

state law. See Rice, 331 U.S. at 230.

D.

Fourth, I disagree that the majority’s attempt to analogize

this case to Buckman Co. v. Plaintiffs’ Legal Committee, 531

U.S. 341 (2001), where the Supreme Court found preemption

based upon specific conflicts between certain FDA objectives

and state-law fraud-on-the-agency claims and the
45

interdependency between the state claims and FDCA

requirements. In Buckman, the Court found that the plaintiffs’

fraud-on-the-agency claims would have had the effect of

deterring beneficial off-label uses, despite the FDA’s objective

not to regulate the practice of medicine, and would have caused

a deluge of information concerning off-label uses, resulting in

administrative burdens and delays. Id. at 350-51. In addition,

the Court found that unlike the traditional state tort claims, the

fraud-on-the-agency claims existed solely by virtue of FDCA

disclosure requirements, which Congress had given the FDA the

exclusive responsibility to enforce. Id. at 352. For these

reasons, the Court held that the plaintiffs’ state-law claims were

preempted. Id. at 353.

Unlike the claims in Buckman, plaintiffs’ claims here do

not exist by virtue of a violation of FDCA disclosure

requirements. The state consumer protection statutes at issue

existed long before the federal enactments. Moreover, the

majority does not identify any actual conflicts between the

federal regime and the state statutes. There is, for example, no

cited risk that the availability of state-law remedies would

conflict with a particular federal objective or a careful balancing

of interests that the federal government has achieved in policing

prescription drug advertising. For these reasons, the claims in

this case cannot be reasonably analogized to the claims in

Buckman, and, thus, the majority’s use of the reasoning in
46

Buckman to support its preemption finding is misguided.

E.

Fifth, I disagree with the majority’s finding of

preemption to the extent it is based upon the presence of statelaw parameters for false and misleading advertisements. As

discussed below, the mere presence of state law standards would

not inevitably lead to a collision with the federal regime.

As an initial matter, the majority characterizes plaintiffs’

claims as both interposing state-law standards and vindicating

federal requirements. Implicit in this dual characterization is,

necessarily, the recognition that the state standards and federal

requirements are not inconsistent. Yet, it is well-established that

the mere presence of state-law claims that parallel federal

requirements is not sufficient to support a preemption finding.

See Medtronic, 518 U.S. at 495 (“The presence of a damages

remedy does not amount to the additional or different

‘requirement’ that is necessary under the statute; rather, it

merely provides another reason for manufacturers to comply

with identical existing ‘requirements’ under federal law.”);
47

Cipollone v. Liggett Group, Inc., 505 U.S. 504, 529 (1992)

(“State-law prohibitions on false statements of material fact do

not create ‘diverse, nonuniform, and confusing’ standards.

Unlike state-law obligations concerning the warning necessary

to render a product ‘reasonably safe,’ state-law proscriptions on

intentional fraud rely only on a single, uniform standard:

falsity.”).

On a number of occasions, the Supreme Court has upheld

state laws that provide remedies parallel to the remedies

provided by the federal law. See, e.g., Silkwood v. Kerr-McGee

Corp., 464 U.S. 238, 257 (1984) (“Paying both federal fines and

state-imposed punitive damages for the same incident would not

appear to be physically impossible. Nor does exposure to

punitive damages frustrate any purpose of the federal remedial

scheme.”); Hayfield N. R.R. Co. v. Chi. and N. W. Transp. Co.,

467 U.S. 622, 636 (1984) (“Although it may seem unfair to

allow a shipper a ‘second bite at the apple’ in state

condemnation proceedings . . . , that second opportunity does

not frustrate the purpose of the federal valuation scheme.”);

Kewanee Oil Co. v. Bicron Corp., 416 U.S. 470, 484 (1974)

(“[T]he patent policy of encouraging invention is not disturbed

by the existence of another form of incentive to invention.”). As

explained by the Supreme Court, “state causes of action are not

pre-empted solely because they impose liability over and above

that authorized by federal law.” California, 490 U.S. at 105;
48

English, 496 U.S. at 89 (same). But see Capital Cities Cable,

Inc. v. Crisp, 467 U.S. 691, 706 (1984) (“Since the Oklahoma

law . . . compels conduct that federal law forbids, the state ban

clearly stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and

execution of the full purposes and objectives of the federal

regulatory scheme.” (internal quotation marks and citation

omitted)); Franklin Nat. Bank v. New York, 347 U.S. 373, 378

(1954) (finding a “clear conflict” between federal law, which

authorized national banks to receive savings deposits but did not

specifically permit– much less require–advertising by such

banks, and New York law, which forbade them from using the

word “savings” in their advertising or business).

The state statutory damages remedies for false and

misleading advertisements would not frustrate the federal policy

of protecting prescription drug consumers. The veracity of drug

advertisements is essential to the protection of consumers. As

stated in the legislative history to 21 U.S.C. § 352(n), “when a

doctor is misled his patient’s health is endangered.” S. Rep. No.

87-1744 (1962), reprinted in 1962 U.S.C.C.A.N. 2884, 2904.

Given that there are limitations to the FDA’s oversight over

prescription drug advertisements–both congressionally-imposed

limitations, such as the lack of authority to require preapproval,

21 U.S.C. § 352(n), and practical limitations attendant to the

sheer volume of drug advertisements in the media, see Donna U.

Vogt, CRS Report for Congress: Direct-to-Consumer
49

Advertising of Prescription Drugs 20 (Congressional Research

Service, The Library of Congress 2005) (noting that in 2003

alone, the FDA received 38,000 advertisements from drug

sponsors)–the supplementation of state-law remedies would

seem to aid the FDCA’s objectives and purposes, not frustrate

them.

For these reasons, I cannot agree that the mere presence

of state law standards for false and misleading advertisements

would present a conflict with the federal law.

F.

Of final note, Congress’s failure to provide a private

remedy for persons injured by false and misleading

advertisements further convinces me that the state law remedies

are not preempted. As the Supreme Court stated in Silkwood,

“[i]t is difficult to believe that Congress would, without

comment, remove all means of judicial recourse for those

injured by illegal conduct.” 464 U.S. at 251; see also Bates v.

Dow Agrosciences LLC., 544 U.S. 431, 450 (2005) (“[I]t seems

unlikely that Congress considered a relatively obscure provision
50

like § 136v(b) to give pesticide manufacturers virtual immunity

from certain forms of tort liability.”).

In addition, where the state law in question provides a

long available form of compensation, it would be expected that

Congress would express an intent to deprive injured parties of

that compensation even more clearly. See Bates, 544 U.S. at

449. Here, the long history of state consumer protection statutes

in this country (which, incidentally, were modeled after and

coexisted with the FTCA, the FDCA’s predecessor insofar as

prescription drug advertising is concerned) adds force to the

basic presumption against preemption. See id. at 449-50. That

presumption has not been rebutted in this case.

In summary, because congressional intention to remove

all judicial recourse for parties injured by deceptive business

practices is far from clear, a finding of preemption is not

permitted under Supreme Court precedent.

III.
 Apart from my general disagreement with the majority’s 17

preemption analysis, I also disagree with the majority’s

summary conclusion that the FDA’s prescription drug

advertising regulations preempt the plaintiffs’ claims to the

extent based upon false and misleading presentations and

“detailing,” as it is not clear that the regulations apply to those

kinds of promotional activities.

51

Based upon the foregoing, I respectfully dissent, insofar

as the majority concludes that the state claims are preempted.17