Opinion ID: 1890564
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Multiple Malformations

Text: DuPont and Pine Island assert that when embryonic cells are exposed to toxic substances, the cells of the embryo produce multiple malformations, not an isolated malformation as in John Castillo's case. The Castillos counter that in the rat studies, the pregnant rats exposed to benomyl whose offspring had microphthalmia did not have multiple malformations. Also, the Castillos' expert, Dr. Van Velzen, testified at the Frye hearing as follows: If you give human beings continuous benomyl during pregnancy, I'm sure that the pattern will be different than if you give it only once on one day and on the particular day that the retina is developing at its top speed. So the absence or presence of multiple malformations in a drug exposure to me does not mean you can exclude a priori a drug if it is discussed in the presence of multiple or if it is discussed in the presence of a single malformation. The most important thing to start looking at is was it a single hit exposure, what is the metabolism time, was it one dose exposure or was it repeated and, if so, how long, or was it chronic and, for example, did it already start before birth, was the egg cell poisoned to start with? On cross-examination at the Frye hearing, Dr. Van Velzen was again asked about multiple malformation. Defense counsel inquired as follows: Q. If the brain, from which the eyes develop, were affected by a toxin, any toxin that could interrupt development of the eyes, would you not also expect there to be some other involvement of the brain? A. Yes, but let me explain to you why and how. The effect I would expect is that there were reductions of numbers of cells. I would not expect, for example, there to be an encephali or there to be no gyri or to be malformations of the brain. What I would expect is a lack of numbers. Unfortunately, in the eye, lack of brain numbers results in the failure of induction of the other structures of the eye. In the rest of the brain, no other appendices are dependent on that. You don't develop a skull, for example, based on having enough neurons or ear flaps, for example. The multiple malformation issue does not involve the methodology the Castillos' experts used. While this may be an appropriate issue to explore during trial, it is irrelevant to the reliability of the underlying methodology used by the Castillos' experts. The Castillos' experts did consider multiple malformation and determined that a single malformation was consistent with their assessment of the scientific evidence. The method used in reaching this conclusion is not being attacked; the conclusion itself is. This is a proper issue for the trier of fact.