Opioids News
Opioids
AmerisourceBergen’s role supplying opioids to Washington State minimal, witness says in distributor trial
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - It appeared on Thursday that defense attorneys for opioid drug distributor AmerisourceBergen were attempting to distance themselves from two other companies being sued by Washington State for allegedly causing an overdose epidemic.
Opioids
Pain control doctor says opioid drug prescribing doctors acted in good faith in distributor trial
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - A pain specialist doctor called as a witness for the defense in the trial of three opioid drug distributors accused of causing an overdose epidemic in Washington State indicated on Wednesday that the majority of doctors did the best they could, even if over-prescribing pain pills.
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Opioids
Former McKesson official says anti-opioid diversion system robust in distributor trial
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - A former special agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) who later worked for McKesson Corp. in its anti-drug diversion program, told a courtroom on Monday the system was thorough in checking to prevent drugs from getting into the wrong hands.
Opioids
Sixth Circuit again reverses judge handling massive opioid litigation
CINCINNATI (Legal Newsline) - The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals once again rebuked U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster over his management of multidistrict opioid litigation, saying his court “clearly abused its discretion” by refusing to allow lawsuits by municipalities in Texas and New Mexico to be remanded to state court.
Opioids
Cases against doctors at SCOTUS weigh heavily on opioid litigation against Walmart
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A pair of cases now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court might decide whether the government can pursue billions of dollars in damages from Walmart for filling “invalid” opioid prescriptions. At the core of the cases is the question of when a doctor – and by extension, a pharmacist – crosses the line from practicing legitimate medicine to illegally selling drugs like a street-corner pusher.
Opioids
Rhode Island opioid case headed toward trial despite no evidence of specific illegal shipment
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Legal Newsline) - Rhode Island can proceed with its lawsuit against opioid manufacturers Teva and Actavis after a judge rejected their motions to dismiss for lack of evidence they broke the law or made any illegal shipments of drugs into the state.
Opioids
Judge dismisses motion by opioid distributor defendants, trial continues as defense makes case in Washington State
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - King County Superior Court Judge Michael Scott on Tuesday rejected a bid to toss out a case by lawyers defending three of the country’s biggest opioid drug distributors, accused of causing an epidemic in Washington State.
Opioids
Opioid distributors say illegal drug use was cause of deadly epidemic, ask judge presiding in four-month long trial to dismiss
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - Attorneys defending three of the country’s biggest opioid drug distributors presented motions on Monday asking the King County Superior Court to dismiss a case alleging the companies caused an overdose epidemic in Washington State.
Opioids
Washington State rests its case; Defendants move for dismissal in trial alleging companies caused opioid overdose epidemic
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - After attorneys for Washington State rested their case on Tuesday accusing three of the country's biggest opioid drug distributors of causing an overdose epidemic, attorneys for the defense moved to dismiss the case, including public nuisance allegations and alleged violations of the Consumer Protection Act.
Opioids
Clinic director tells courtroom opioid treatment professionals suffer compassion fatigue from epidemic
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - The executive director of a treatment clinic for addicted opioid users said her staffers were overwhelmed by an epidemic of drug abuse to the point they became burned out and suffered from compassion fatigue.
Opioids
Native tribe opioid settlement in focus at ongoing Washington State trial
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - An abatement plan to deal with an opioid drug overdose crisis was discussed Tuesday in the King County Superior Court trial of three major drug distributors, and the possible impact of a settlement with native tribes.
Opioids
Defense attorneys for opioid distributors attempt to show companies not responsible for doctor prescriptions
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - Defense attorneys for three of the country’s biggest distributors of opioids disputed the testimony of a marketing expert witness called by Washington State, saying the companies did not cause a drug overdose epidemic.
Opioids
Child welfare social worker tells court infant health endangered, services under strain from opioid epidemic
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A specialist witness called by the State of Washington on Thursday said children’s health in the state is being damaged and child welfare services overwhelmed by an epidemic of opioid abuse.
Opioids
Opioid researcher says pills oversupply caused epidemic; defense attorneys say illicit use the cause
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - An addiction expert witness called by the State of Washington said that a massive over supply of opioid pills in the early 2000s is linked with heroin use and caused an overdose epidemic in the state.
Opioids
Washington State says distributors caused opioid epidemic, defense attorneys say heroin abuse caused it
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - Attorneys for the State of Washington argue that an overdose epidemic of opioids called the worst in the state’s history was a result of reckless distribution of the drugs by three accused companies, while their defense attorneys maintain it was societal over-pain-medicating by doctors and illegal use of heroin in the 1990s that fueled it.
Opioids
Defense lawyers attempt to display due diligence in Washington State trial against opioid drug distributors
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - Defense attorneys for three of the country’s top distributors of opioid drugs accused of starting an overdose epidemic in Washington State attempted on Tuesday to show the companies had done everything possible to prevent illegal drug diversion.
Opioids
Trial resumes in case against Washington State opioid distributors accused of causing overdose epidemic
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - Trial resumed Monday in a lawsuit filed by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office against three of the country’s top opioid drug distributors, accusing them of causing an overdose epidemic by oversupplying drugs, and operating ineffective anti-diversion programs.
Opioids
Opioid plaintiffs suing Rite Aid can't count on insurance money
DOVER, Del. (Legal Newsline) - Insurance companies don’t have to cover defense costs for Rite Aid against opioid lawsuits by governments seeking economic damages, Delaware’s highest court ruled, rejecting one major source of funding that plaintiffs and defendants alike were counting upon to pay out multibillion-dollar settlements.
Opioids
Washington State opioid trial put on hold for two weeks; state says routine break time
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - A trial in Washington State in which three of the country’s biggest distributors of opioid drugs stand accused of causing an overdose epidemic had been postponed until Jan. 24, but a representative of the Attorney General's office called the pause "routine."
Opioids
Defense attorneys say opioid companies performed due diligence in efforts to prevent drug misuse
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - Attorneys defending three of the country’s biggest distributors of opioid drugs tried to undermine the testimony of a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official, while portraying their clients as innocent of causing an overdose epidemic in Washington State.