ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - A state court jury has determined Roche Holding AG, manufacturer of the popular acne medication Accutane, must pay $18 million in damages to two former users who developed inflammatory bowel disease because of the drug.

JACKSONVILLE, FL – This morning, R.J. Reynolds was granted a mistrial in Brown v. R.J. Reynolds, the second Engle Progeny tobacco trial that began at the Duval County Courthouse this month. Judge Adrian G. Soud originally heard Brown v. R.J. Reynolds, but recused himself after several weeks of the proceeding. Judge Charles Arnold, who previously presided over Frailey v. Philip Morris, stepped in and granted the mistrial.

Ray Fields Brown started smoking as a teenager and struggled with quitting for years. He finally quit in 1986, but there is evidence that he relapsed soon after. In 1993 Fields developed lung cancer and died two years later.

Late last Friday, after nearly four weeks of trial proceedings, an Orlando jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants in a civil trial alleging the antidepressant Zoloft caused Gary Torrence to commit suicide.

MARIANNA, FL - The only "Engle" progeny tobacco trial scheduled for March began this week in Jackson County Circuit Court.

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - Opening statements took place Monday in a civil trial against drug manufacturer Merck & Company (NYSE: MRK) involving the widely-prescribed drug Fosamax.