Court Denies Medical Societies' Petition in Pedicle Screw Case

In an unfavorable--but not unexpected--ruling, the Federal appellate court denied a mandamus petition filed by four medical societies targeted as defendants in a mass tort suit. The petition was the last in a series of efforts made by the societies to prevent the cases from moving forward. The suit, the first mass tort litigation to hold societies liable for what they teach at seminars, is being closely watched not only by the CME community, but by the wider association community, because of