Valsartan Lawsuit Case Management & Special Master Orders (MDL 2875)
On February 14, 2019, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) centralized federal lawsuits over contaminated valsartan in the District of New Jersey as MDL No. 2875, now captioned In re: Valsartan, Losartan, and Irbesartan Products Liability Litigation. Plaintiffs allege that generic valsartan, and later losartan and irbesartan, contained nitrosamine impurities such as NDMA and NDEA, and that the contamination caused cancer. Approximately 1,400 lawsuits are pending. The MDL began before Judge Robert B. Kugler and has been before Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb since April 2024, with retired Judge Thomas I. Vanaskie serving as Special Master for discovery. The most recent order on this page, entered October 16, 2026, amended the case management and discovery schedule for the Wave 3 bellwether cases. Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn (NGRV) is accepting inquiries from people diagnosed with cancer after taking valsartan, losartan, or irbesartan.
This page is a central repository for the case management orders (CMOs), special master orders (SMOs), and other key filings in MDL 2875. The litigation has been active since February 2019, and the court has entered case management orders numbered through CMO 39. Following them is a good way to stay current on the status of the valsartan lawsuit. Our legal team updates this page as new orders are entered, so bookmark it. For background on the claims, see our Valsartan Cancer Lawsuit MDL 2875 page.
Need Legal Representation for a Valsartan Cancer Claim?
If you or a loved one was diagnosed with cancer after taking valsartan, losartan, or irbesartan, visit our main Valsartan Lawsuit page or call or text (202) 792-7927 for a free, confidential case evaluation.
Important: Do not stop or change any blood pressure medication without first speaking with your doctor or pharmacist. Stopping blood pressure medication can be dangerous. A legal consultation does not replace medical advice.
Master Docket Information
(reassigned April 9, 2024)
Key Developments and Case Status
Where the Case Stands
- Bellwether process: The personal injury cases are moving through a bellwether process, in which a small group of cases is prepared for trial first. The October 16, 2026 order amended the schedule for Wave 3.
- First bellwether case: The first case, Roberts, did not reach trial. On November 10, 2025, the court excluded the plaintiff’s specific causation expert and granted summary judgment to the defendants. Each bellwether case turns on its own plaintiff’s evidence, and the MDL includes claims involving other cancers.
- Trial timing: No personal injury trial date appears in the orders listed below. According to Teva’s most recent quarterly SEC filing, personal injury bellwether trials in the New Jersey MDL are expected no earlier than the first half of 2027, a previously scheduled third-party payor trial has been postponed indefinitely, and losartan discovery against Teva has been paused indefinitely.
- Product identification: Under CMO 38, plaintiffs must be able to show which manufacturer made the valsartan they took, or face a show cause process.
Case History
Major milestones, newest first. The full list of orders follows in the next section.
- October 16, 2026The court entered an Amended Order Establishing Case Management and Discovery Schedule for Wave 3 Bellwether Cases (Docket No. 3383).
- November 10, 2025In the first personal injury bellwether case, Roberts, Chief Judge Bumb excluded the plaintiff’s specific causation expert and granted summary judgment to the defendants before trial.
- May 14 to June 25, 2025The Wave 2 bellwether schedule was amended three times, on May 14, June 16, and June 25, 2025.
- March 14, 2025CMO 38 created a show cause process for plaintiffs who cannot identify the manufacturer of the valsartan they took.
- March 12, 2025The court entered the case management schedule for the Wave 2 bellwether cases.
- February 19 and 26, 2025CMO 37 established common benefit assessments and a common benefit fund, and a separate order set the schedule for the first bellwether plaintiff trial.
- October 22, 2024CMO 36 set up the framework for personal injury bellwether trials.
- May 10, 2024Special Master Order 98 imposed sanctions against defendant ZHP.
- April 9, 2024The JPML reassigned the MDL from Judge Robert B. Kugler to Judge Renée Marie Bumb.
- March 5, 2024Special Master Order 94 addressed ZHP’s ownership of Prinston and Solco.
- December 6, 2023CMO 32B set trial deadlines.
- November 17, 2022CMO 30 set expert and deposition deadlines on damages for the planned third-party payor (TPP) plaintiff trial.
- July 18 and August 31, 2022CMO 28 and CMO 29 set, then amended, deadlines for liability expert reports and Rule 56 motions.
- March 3, 2022CMO 25 appointed the parties’ settlement counsel.
- October 27, 2021CMO 23 (Revised) set class certification deadlines.
- February 18, 2021CMO 24 extended the Short Form Complaint requirement to losartan and irbesartan cases.
- August 29, 2019CMO 13 approved the Short Form Complaint for personal injury cases.
- May 6, 2019CMO 6 approved the plaintiffs’ and defendants’ leadership structures.
- February 14, 2019The JPML centralized the federal valsartan cases in the District of New Jersey before Judge Kugler. CMO 1 followed on February 25, 2019.
- July 13, 2018The FDA announced the first voluntary recalls of valsartan-containing medicines because of nitrosamine impurities. Recalls were later expanded to losartan and irbesartan.
Court Orders and Filings
50 orders listed, newest first. Orders are sorted by the date entered.
2026
- 10/16/2026 LatestAmended Order Establishing Case Management and Discovery Schedule for Wave 3 Bellwether Cases (Docket No. 3383) [PDF]PDF
2025
- 06/25/2025Case Management Order: Third Amended Case Management Schedule for Wave 2 Bellwether TrialsPDF
- 06/16/2025Case Management Order: Second Amended Case Management Schedule for Wave 2 Bellwether TrialsPDF
- 05/14/2025Amended Wave 2 Bellwether SchedulePDF
- 05/13/2025CMO 39: Substitution of Defense Executive Committee MemberPDF
- 03/14/2025CMO 38: Establishing Manufacturer Defendant Product Identification Show Cause ProcessPDF
- 03/12/2025Case Management Order: Establishing Case Management Schedule for Wave 2 Bellwether CasesPDF
- 02/26/2025Case Management Order: Establishing Case Management Schedule for Bellwether Plaintiff TrialPDF
- 02/19/2025CMO 37: Establishing Common Benefit Assessments and Common Benefit FundPDF
2024
- 10/22/2024CMO 36: Personal Injury Bellwether TrialsPDF
- 05/10/2024SMO 98: Sanctions Against Valsartan Defendant ZHPPDF
- 03/05/2024SMO 94: ZHP Parent of Prinston & SolcoPDF
2023
- 12/06/2023CMO 32B: Trial DeadlinesPDF
- 11/20/2023CMO 35: Manufacturer Defendants’ Losartan and Irbesartan Discovery SchedulePDF
- 07/17/2023CMO 34: Modification to the Leadership Structure of Plaintiffs’ CounselsPDF
- 10/01/2026Order Establishing Qualified Settlement Fund and Appointing Fund Administrator and CustodianPDF
- 10/01/2026Order Establishing Qualified Settlement Fund and Appointing Fund Administrator and CustodianPDF
- 06/20/2023CMO 32 Amended: Production Related to Plaintiffs Class Certification ClaimsPDF
- 03/29/2023CMO 31: Deadlines for Certain Briefs Relating to Rule 702 MotionsPDF
2022
- 11/17/2022CMO 30: Deadlines Relating to Expert Reports and Depositions Concerning Damages for the Upcoming Third-Party Payor (“TPP”) Plaintiff TrialPDF
- 08/31/2022CMO 29: Amending Deadlines for Expert Liability Reports and Dispositive MotionsPDF
- 08/16/2022CMO 27: Changes in the Defendants’ Executive Committee and to Defendants’ Liaison CounselPDF
- 07/18/2022CMO 28: Deadlines for Liability Expert Reports, Rule 56 Motions, and Related MattersPDF
- 04/08/2022CMO 26: Modification to Plaintiff’s Steering CommitteePDF
- 03/03/2022CMO 25: Appointment of Parties’ Settlement CounselPDF
2021
- 10/27/2021CMO 23 Revised: Class Certification DeadlinesPDF
- 04/05/2021CMO 15a: Protocol for Dismissals of Certain Defendants Without Prejudice to Include Losartan and IrbesartanPDF
- 02/18/2021CMO 24: Approving and Ordering Use of Short Form Complaint and Expand the Scope of CMO 13 to Include Losartan and Irbesartan CasesPDF
- 01/11/2021CMO 22: Post November 24, 2020 Status ConferencePDF
2020
- 11/17/2020CMO 21: Request for Production of Documents (RFPs)PDF
- 11/17/2020CMO 20: Fact Witness Deposition ProtocolPDF
- 02/18/2020CMO 19: Supplemental Direct Filing OrderPDF
2019
- 12/06/2019CMO 18: Updated Defense Executive CommitteePDF
- 10/28/2019CMO 17: Approving Third Party Payor Plaintiff’s Fact Sheet (PFS) and Establishing Show Cause ProcessPDF
- 10/03/2019CMO 16: Approving Plaintiff’s Fact Sheets (PFS) and Establishing Show Cause ProcessPDF
- 10/02/2019CMO 15: Protocol for Dismissals of Certain Defendants Without PrejudicePDF
- 09/30/2019CMO 14: Post September 25, 2019 Status ConferencePDF
- 09/20/2019CMO 13a: Amended Short Form Complaint (SFC) Adding Mylan N.V.PDF
- 08/29/2019CMO 13: Approving and Ordering Use of Short Form Complaint (SFC)PDF
- 08/16/2019CMO 12: Post August 14, 2019 Status ConferencePDF
- 07/26/2019CMO 11: Post July 24, 2019 Status ConferencePDF
- 07/01/2019CMO 10: Post June 26, 2019 Status ConferencePDF
- 06/19/2019CMO 9: Service Through MDL CentralityPDF
- 06/18/2019CMO 8: Electronic Discovery Protocol (ESI)PDF
- 06/03/2019CMO 7: Post May 29, 2019 Status ConferencePDF
- 05/06/2019CMO 6: Plaintiffs’ and Defendants’ Leadership StructurePDF
- 05/01/2019CMO 5: Post April 24, 2019 Status Conference, Briefing OrderedPDF
- 04/25/2019CMO 4: Time & Expense Reporting of Common Benefit Fees and Related CostPDF
- 04/09/2019CMO 3: Direct Filing OrderPDF
- 04/02/2019CMO 2: Monthly Case Management Conferences (CMCs)PDF
- 02/25/2019CMO 1: Initial Conference, Applicability, Consolidation, Responsibility of Counsel, Appearances at Conferences, Liaison Counsel, Position Statement, Stay of Pending Motions, Pro Hac Vice Admission, Filing, Service, Preservation, and Agenda.PDF
- 02/14/2019JPML Transfer Order: MDL 2875PDF
Note: New case management orders and special master orders will be added at the top of this list as the court enters them. Case management order numbers run from CMO 1 through CMO 39, and several orders are lettered, revised, or unnumbered.
Other Valsartan MDL 2875 Documents
These forms and reference documents are used by plaintiffs in the MDL.
- Valsartan Lawsuit Short Form Complaint (SFC)The form used to file or adopt a personal injury claim in the MDL. See CMO 13, CMO 13a, and CMO 24.PDF
- Valsartan Personal Injury Plaintiff Fact SheetThe questionnaire personal injury plaintiffs complete about their medication use, diagnosis, and treatment. See CMO 16.PDF
- Valsartan Cancer Medical Monitoring Class Plaintiff’s Fact SheetThe fact sheet for plaintiffs in the cancer medical monitoring class claims.PDF
- Valsartan Economic Loss Consumer Class Plaintiff’s Fact SheetThe fact sheet for plaintiffs in the economic loss consumer class claims.PDF
- Contaminated Valsartan Supply Chain ChartA reference chart of the manufacturing and distribution chain for contaminated valsartan.PDF
Orders by Topic
With dozens of orders entered over more than seven years, it helps to see them grouped by subject. Look for the order numbers in the list above.
| Topic | Orders | What they address |
|---|---|---|
| Centralization and status conferences | JPML Transfer Order; CMOs 1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 22 | Creation of the MDL, monthly case management conferences, and orders following each status conference. |
| Filing and pleadings | CMOs 3, 9, 13, 13a, 19, 24 | Direct filing, service through MDL Centrality, and the Short Form Complaint, including its extension to losartan and irbesartan cases. |
| Fact sheets and plaintiff-specific proceedings | CMOs 15, 15a, 16, 17, 38 | Dismissal protocols for certain defendants, personal injury and third-party payor fact sheets, and the product identification show cause process. |
| Leadership and settlement counsel | CMOs 6, 18, 25, 26, 27, 34, 39 | Plaintiffs’ and defendants’ leadership structures, changes to committees and liaison counsel, and the parties’ settlement counsel. |
| Discovery and sanctions | CMOs 8, 20, 21, 35; SMOs 94 and 98 | The electronic discovery protocol, fact witness depositions, document requests, losartan and irbesartan discovery, ZHP’s ownership structure, and sanctions against ZHP. |
| Class certification, experts, and motions | CMOs 23 Revised, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 Amended, 32B | Class certification deadlines, expert reports, Rule 56 and Rule 702 motions, and the schedule for the third-party payor trial. |
| Bellwether trials | CMO 36; Roberts bellwether schedule; Wave 2 schedules; Wave 3 schedule | The framework for personal injury bellwether trials and the schedules for each wave of cases. |
| Common benefit | CMOs 4, 37 | Time and expense reporting, common benefit assessments, and the common benefit fund. |
Summaries of Key Orders
Amended Wave 3 Bellwether Schedule (October 16, 2026)
The court’s most recent order amends the case management and discovery schedule for the Wave 3 bellwether cases (Docket No. 3383). It builds on the schedules entered for the first bellwether case and for Wave 2. Read the order for the specific dates.
CMO 38 (March 14, 2025): Product Identification Show Cause Process
- Purpose: Addresses personal injury claims in which the plaintiff has not shown which manufacturer made the valsartan they took.
- Process: Defendants identify gaps, and plaintiffs have an opportunity to cure them with documentary evidence. Unresolved disputes are addressed at case management conferences.
- Consequence: If a dispute remains unresolved, a manufacturer may ask the court to order the plaintiff to show cause why the claim should not be dismissed.
- Practical tip: Pharmacy records, prescription labels, and pill bottle labels can help establish the manufacturer.
CMO 36 (October 22, 2024): Personal Injury Bellwether Trials
CMO 36 set up the framework for personal injury bellwether trials. Later orders set the schedules for the first bellwether case, Roberts (February 26, 2025), for Wave 2 (March 12, 2025, as amended in May and June 2025), and for Wave 3 (October 16, 2026).
CMO 24 (February 18, 2021): Short Form Complaint for Losartan and Irbesartan
- Scope: Extended the Short Form Complaint requirement in CMO 13 to cases involving losartan and irbesartan, in addition to valsartan.
- Amended complaints: Plaintiffs with losartan or irbesartan personal injury cases already on file were required to file an Amended Short Form Complaint within 30 days.
- Defendants: Counsel for all defendants had to register with the MDL Centrality system within seven days.
CMO 6 (May 6, 2019): Leadership Structure
CMO 6 approved the plaintiffs’ and defendants’ leadership structures. Later orders modified them, including CMO 18, CMO 26, CMO 27, CMO 34, and CMO 39.
Special Master Orders 94 and 98 (2024): ZHP
SMO 94 (March 5, 2024) addressed ZHP’s ownership of Prinston and Solco. SMO 98 (May 10, 2024) imposed sanctions against ZHP. Review the orders for their specific terms.
What the Valsartan Lawsuits Allege
Plaintiffs allege the following, and the defendants dispute these claims. None of the allegations has been proven.
- Nitrosamine contamination: In its transfer order, the JPML described common questions of fact, including whether the generic valsartan sold by defendants contained NDMA or NDEA, the cause of the alleged impurities, and when defendants knew or should have known about them.
- Manufacturing and sampling defects: Plaintiffs allege that defects in the manufacturing and sampling process allowed the impurities to reach patients.
- FDA recalls: The FDA announced voluntary recalls of valsartan-containing medicines beginning July 13, 2018, and recalls were later expanded to losartan and irbesartan products.
- Exposure period: As described in the court’s opinion in Roberts, the claims center on medication allegedly contaminated between January 1, 2012 and the summer of 2018.
- Injuries: Plaintiffs claim they developed cancer, including liver cancer, after taking contaminated medication.
- Defendants: The defendants include active ingredient and finished-dose manufacturers such as ZHP, Prinston, Solco, Mylan, Teva, and Torrent, along with wholesalers and pharmacies.
Claim Tracks in MDL 2875
For a full discussion, see our Valsartan Cancer Lawsuit MDL 2875 page.
Why Follow Valsartan MDL 2875 With NGRV?
- Court-appointed MDL leadership. Our founding partners have been appointed by federal judges to Plaintiffs’ Steering and Executive Committees in national litigations, including In re: Valsartan, Losartan, and Irbesartan Products Liability Litigation (MDL 2875), In re: Paraquat Products Liability Litigation (MDL 3004), In re: Uber Technologies, Inc., Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation (MDL 3084), and In re: Davol, Inc./C.R. Bard, Inc., Polypropylene Hernia Mesh Products Liability Litigation (MDL 2846).
- Clinical perspective. Brett Vaughn is both a trial attorney and a licensed Registered Nurse (RN, BSN), which supports careful review of medical records, pathology reports, and treatment histories.
- Familiarity with the orders. We follow every order in the MDL, including the fact sheet, product identification, and bellwether requirements that affect individual claims.
- Contingency fee representation. NGRV represents clients on a contingency fee basis. We advance litigation costs and expert expenses, and if there is no recovery on your behalf, you owe no attorney fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MDL 2875?
MDL 2875 is a federal multidistrict litigation created on February 14, 2019, for lawsuits alleging that generic blood pressure medications contained cancer-causing nitrosamine impurities. It began with valsartan and now also covers losartan and irbesartan. The cases are centralized in the District of New Jersey for coordinated pretrial proceedings and are now before Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb.
What is a case management order (CMO)?
A case management order sets the schedule and procedures for an MDL, such as filing requirements, discovery rules, leadership appointments, and deadlines. A Special Master Order (SMO) is entered by the court-appointed Special Master, retired Judge Thomas I. Vanaskie, who oversees discovery disputes in this MDL.
Which medications are covered?
The MDL covers valsartan, losartan, and irbesartan products. Not every valsartan product was recalled, and the recalls involved specific manufacturers and lots. A review of your pharmacy records can help show which product you took and who made it.
What is a bellwether trial, and what are the “waves”?
Bellwether cases are a small group of cases selected to be prepared and tried first so the parties and the court can see how the evidence plays out. The orders on this page set schedules for the first bellwether case (Roberts), a second group called Wave 2, and a third group called Wave 3. Bellwether results do not decide other plaintiffs’ cases, but they inform how those cases are evaluated.
What happened in the first bellwether case?
On November 10, 2025, Chief Judge Bumb excluded the opinion of the plaintiff’s specific causation expert in Roberts, a liver cancer case, and granted summary judgment for the defendants before trial. Each bellwether case turns on its own plaintiff’s medical records and expert evidence, and the MDL includes claims involving other cancers.
When will the personal injury trials take place?
No personal injury trial date appears in the orders listed here. Teva’s most recent quarterly SEC filing states that personal injury bellwether trials in the New Jersey MDL are expected no earlier than the first half of 2027. Schedules change, so check the latest order at the top of the list above.
Can I file a valsartan case directly in the MDL?
Yes. Direct filing orders (CMO 3 and CMO 19) allow a plaintiff to file directly in the District of New Jersey as part of the MDL, using the Short Form Complaint approved in CMO 13 and CMO 24. Time limits for filing vary by state and by the facts of your case, so speak with an attorney promptly.
What is a Plaintiff Fact Sheet?
A Plaintiff Fact Sheet (PFS) is a standardized questionnaire that plaintiffs complete about their medication use, diagnosis, and treatment. CMO 16 approved the personal injury PFS and set up a show cause process for plaintiffs who do not complete it. The PFS and the class claim fact sheets are available under Other Valsartan MDL 2875 Documents above.
What is the product identification show cause process?
CMO 38 (March 14, 2025) addresses claims where the plaintiff has not shown which manufacturer made the valsartan they took. Defendants can identify gaps, plaintiffs have a chance to cure them with documentary evidence, and unresolved disputes are addressed at case management conferences before a defendant may ask the court to order the plaintiff to show cause why the claim should not be dismissed. Pharmacy records, prescription labels, and pill bottle labels can help.
Has there been a settlement?
None of the orders listed on this page announces a global settlement of the personal injury claims, and the personal injury bellwether process is still underway. Other claim types, including class claims, proceed on separate tracks. Contact us if you want to know how a particular development could affect your claim.
Does an MDL order affect my individual case?
Yes. MDL orders govern shared discovery, filing procedures, and the bellwether process. However, your diagnosis, medical history, damages, and any settlement amount remain individual to you.
Sources and References
- Amended Order Establishing Case Management and Discovery Schedule for Wave 3 Bellwether Cases, MDL 2875 (D.N.J., Oct. 16, 2026)
- JPML Transfer Order, MDL 2875 (Feb. 14, 2019)
- JPML Order Reassigning Litigation to Judge Bumb, MDL 2875 (Apr. 9, 2024)
- Order Appointing Special Master for Discovery, MDL 2875 (D.N.J.)
- CMO 24, MDL 2875 (D.N.J., Feb. 18, 2021)
- CMO 38, MDL 2875 (D.N.J., Mar. 14, 2025)
- The National Law Review, New Jersey District Court Excludes Unreliable Plaintiff Expert Testimony, Jan. 14, 2026
- Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Form 10-Q (2026), describing the status of the New Jersey MDL
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, Valsartan MDL 2875
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The information on this page is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Allegations described are claims made by plaintiffs in active litigation and have not been proven. Contacting NGRV does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.
