UNITED STATES v. RUTHERFORD

No. 78-605.

442 U.S. 544 (1979)

99 S.Ct. 2470

61 L.Ed.2d 68

UNITED STATES ET AL. v. RUTHERFORD ET AL.

Supreme Court of United States.

Decided June 18, 1979.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Solicitor General McCree argued the cause for the United States et al. With him on the briefs were Assistant Attorney General Shenefield, Deputy Solicitor General Barnett, Elinor Hadley Stillman, Barry Grossman, and Richard M. Cooper.

Kenneth Ray Coe argued the cause for respondents. With him on the brief were Kirkpatrick W. Dilling and Dennis M. Gronek.*

Briefs of amici curiae urging affirmance were filed by David H. Gill II for the Committee for Freedom of Choice in Cancer Therapy; by Stephen Tornay for the McNaughton Foundation of California; by Kirkpatrick W. Dilling and Dennis M. Gronek for the National Health Federation; and by Daniel H. Smith for the Northwest Academy of Preventive Medicine.

Briefs of amici curiae were filed by George Deukmejian, Attorney General, Robert Philibosian, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Daniel J. Kremer, Assistant Attorney General, and Harley D. Mayfield and Robert M. Foster, Deputy Attorneys General, for the State of California; by Dennis S. Avery for the American Academy of Medical Preventics; by David Laufer for the Cancer Control Society; and by David S. King for the Save the United States Movement, Improving Public Health and Physical Fitness of the United States Citizens.


MR. JUSTICE MARSHALL delivered the opinion of the Court.

The question presented in this case is whether the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act precludes terminally ill cancer patients from obtaining Laetrile, a drug not recognized as "safe and effective" within the meaning of § 201 (p) (1) of the Act, 52 Stat. 1041, as amended, 21 U. S. C. § 321 (p) (1).

I

Section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug...

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