Opren - With the help of a multimillionaire and a media campaign, the parties reached a controversial settlement

SpringerLink - Journal Article: "Abstract This UK paper on multiparty litigation looks at the Opren case. This concerned an anti-arthritic drug licensed in the UK between 1980 and 1982. While a number of drug users died, the most common adverse reaction was photosensitivity. The main legal action involved almost 1,500 plaintiffs and seven defendants. In the early summer of 1987 a court ruling on the funding of the action meant that 500 of the plaintiffs might have to withdraw. With the help of a multimillionaire and a media campaign, the parties reached a controversial settlement at the end of 1987. This paper focuses on the plaintiffs' case, the way the litigation proceeded through the courts and the nature of the settlement. It goes on to assess the problems the case highlighted in court procedures, legal aid and liability for defective drugs."


http://www.springerlink.com/content/rk1241up6x047270/