A Philadelphia jury has found B. Braun Medical Inc. not liable for causing leukemia in a neighbor due to emissions from its Pennsylvania manufacturing plant. Christopher Glass, who lived near the company’s facility in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, was among several plaintiffs who claimed that exposure to ethylene oxide, a chemical used for sterilizing medical equipment, led to their cancer diagnoses.
After a 21-day trial in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, the jury concluded that B. Braun and its related companies were not negligent in the operation of their plant, clearing the company of the accusations.
Jennifer Adams of Hogan Lovells, representing B. Braun, expressed satisfaction with the verdict. “We are extremely gratified to have obtained this important victory on behalf of B. Braun,” she told Law360. “Throughout its history in Allentown, PA, B. Braun has operated safely and with the welfare of its patients, community, and employees in mind.”
Glass was one of 16 individuals who filed lawsuits against B. Braun in May 2021, alleging that the company had knowingly allowed harmful levels of ethylene oxide to escape from its plant for decades, despite the chemical’s link to cancer. Glass ultimately passed away from leukemia, and his wife and estate continued to pursue the case.
