Payton v. Abbott Labs

This case comes before the court on certification from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts of four principal and several subsidiary ques*542tions involving Massachusetts tort law. See S.J.C. Rule 1:03, § 1, as amended, 382 Mass. 700 (1981).

The plaintiffs in the civil action in which these questions are certified seek redress for injuries allegedly caused by the prescription drug diethylstilbestrol (DES). They brought suit in the Federal District Court in April, 1976. In July, 1979, a judge of the Federal District Court conditionally certified the plaintiff class…