Opioid-Industry Claims Proceed as Judge Cites ‘Man-Made Plague’
- Judge’s ruling clears the way for three test trials in 2019
- Local governments seek to recover costs of opioid epidemic
Photographer: John Moore/Getty Images
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Calling the U.S. opioid epidemic a “man-made plague,’’ the judge overseeing local governments’ lawsuits targeting makers and distributors of the painkillers cleared test cases to move forward.
U.S. District Judge Dan Polster concluded Wednesday it “would not be appropriate’’ to throw out racketeering, conspiracy and public nuisance claims against drugmakers including Purdue Pharma LP and Johnson & Johnson, and distributors McKesson Corp. and Cardinal Health Inc. “at this early stage’’ of the litigation.