This multi-district litigation consists of over 250 pending cases. The plaintiffs largely are healthcare workers alleging that they have a Type I latex hypersensitivity allergy as a result of exposure to defendants' natural rubber latex gloves used in their profession. More specifically, the plaintiffs allege that they have been sensitized to and developed Type I latex hypersensitivity from exposure to certain proteins in latex gloves which act as allergens. This type of latex allergy is to be distinguished from contact dermatitis and Type IV latex hypersensitivity, which results from exposure to chemicals.

This multi-district proceeding has been established in order to have one federal court to coordinate discovery and other pretrial matters in the pending cases. Subsequent natural rubber latex allergy cases filed in a federal court will ordinarily be transferred as "Tag Along" cases to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and become part of MDL No. 1148. Once discovery and the other pretrial matters are completed, in MDL No. 1148 the transferred cases will be transferred back to the federal district court where they originated for further proceedings, including trials.