Centocor, Inc. v. Hamilton

Facts

Patricia Hamilton had a complex medical history, including Crohn’s disease, recurring joint pain, and arthritis. In 2001, she experienced a flare in her Crohn’s disease and sought treatment from Dr. Hauptman, a gastroenterologist. Based on her condition and limited treatment options, Dr. Hauptman prescribed Remicade, a relatively new immunomodulator medication manufactured by Centocor. Patricia received her Remicade infusions at Dr. Bullen’s infusion clinic. During her first infusion, she viewed an informational video provided by Centocor that explained the benefits of Remicade but did not mention lupus-like syndrome as a potential side effect. The 2001 Remicade package insert, however, did warn physicians about this potential side effect, noting it was “rare.” Initially, Patricia’s Crohn’s disease responded well to Remicade, but she began experiencing severe joint pain. She was referred to Dr. Pop-Moody, a rheumatologist, who prescribed additional Remicade treatments. Despite testing positive for systemic lupus erythematosus in 2002, Patricia continued Remicade treatments until 2003, when specialists at the University of Texas Health Science Center diagnosed her with lupus-like syndrome potentially induced by Remicade. After discontinuing Remicade, her lupus-like symptoms subsided.