(September 13, 2016, 3:55 PM EDT) -- PHOENIX — An Arizona federal judge overseeing the C.R. Bard Inc. inferior vena cava (IVC) multidistrict litigation on Sept. 6 said the defendant can conduct discovery into the plaintiffs’ alleged efforts to influence the Food and Drug Administration, but not into the plaintiffs’ communications with NBC Nightly News or third-party litigation funding (In Re: Bard IVC Filters Products Liability Litigation, MDL Docket No. 2641, No. 15-md-2641, D. Ariz.).

In a Sept. 2 motion and brief, Bard asked Judge David G. Campbell to order plaintiffs to respond...