NuvaRing Settlement Update

Merck announced on June 4, 2014, that it would be funding the $100 million dollar NuvaRing settlement announced in February of this year, as the 95% plaintiff participation threshold required by the Settlement Agreement has been reached. The $100 million settlement will resolve several thousand individual lawsuits that were filed in state courts as well as the federal multi-district litigation (MDL) proceedings pending in St. Louis.  The $100 million payment will be made into the Qualified Settlement Fund established for the NuvaRing litigation on August 31, 2014.

The current deadline for submission of claims forms and supporting medical documentation is July 21, 2014. This deadline is not expected to be extended. BrownGreer is serving as the Claims Administrator for the NuvaRing settlement program. More details about the program are available at http://www.nuvaringofficialsettlement.com

This $100 million settlement was announced after more than five years of hard-fought and difficult litigation against Merck/Organon USA, Inc., including the dismissal of a number of cases that were prepared for the first bellwether trials. Through this settlement program, Merck has agreed to resolve the NuvaRing® claims of qualifying claimants who suffered certain injuries including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, other venous thrombotic events, arterial clots, and superficial thrombophlebitis.

These claims involve both personal injury claimants as well as survivors of those who died after use of the contraceptive product. The settlement fund will be allocated by a Plaintiffs’ Claim Review Committee among thousands of qualifying claimants based upon an evaluation of each claimant’s proof of NuvaRing® use and documented diagnosis of one or more qualifying injuries.