Opinion ID: 2832576
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Testimony of Dr. James Gallup (“Dr. Gallup”)

Text: Plaintiffs also called Dr. Gallup to testify as an expert on the cause of Minor’s death. With respect to any effect Reglan may have had on Minor’s system, Dr. Gallup opined that “it did what Reglan is noted well to do and that is stimulate the contraction of smooth muscle, particularly in the intestine and the stomach to a lesser extent.” Dr. Gallup 11  FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAII REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER  testified that Reglan relaxes the “sphincter so that any fluid in the stomach can easily get transported down through the small intestine into the large intestine.” He further testified that Zofran does not do this and “works almost exactly in the opposite direction.” Dr. Gallup opined that Reglan moderately increased Minor’s diarrhea, which significantly increased her dehydration. He further opined that the increase in dehydration was a substantial factor leading to Minor’s hypovolemic shock because the dehydration “quite significantly hastened the loss of workable fluid . . . into the intestinal tract and loss from the body ultimately.” As to Minor’s cause of death, he opined that Minor “died from cardiac arrest as a result of hypovolemic shock[.]” He further opined that Reglan was a substantial factor in causing Minor’s death. On redirect, Dr. Gallup clarified that Reglan “may have increased the volume [of diarrhea, but] may not have increased the frequency.”