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West Virginia says J&J, drugmakers created ‘tsunami’ of opioid addiction -Breaking

by Mike Robinson

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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A common view of the courthouse the place the three largest U.S. drug distributors are going through their first trial over claims that they fueled the opioid disaster, in Charleston, West Virginia, U.S., Might 3, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan Pierson

By Dietrich Knauth

(Reuters) – West Virginia’s legal professional common on Monday urged a decide to carry Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:), Teva Prescription drugs Industries Ltd, and AbbVie Inc (NYSE:)’s Allergen accountable for inflicting a “tsunami” of opioid habit within the state.

Lawyer Common Patrick Morrisey mentioned throughout his opening assertion in Kanawha County Circuit Court docket that opioid habit has affected the state’s police forces, hospitals, foster care system and jails, with results that can linger for greater than a technology.

“This epidemic has impacted nearly all of West Virginia,” Morrissey mentioned. “Our lawsuit speaks for all West Virginians who’ve suffered because of the defendants’ illegal, callous and damaging conduct.”

West Virginia has been exhausting hit by the epidemic, with a per capita opioid mortality charge practically thrice the nationwide common in 2020, in line with information from the Nationwide Middle for Well being Statistics.

J&J and the three largest U.S. drug distributors – AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:) Corp, Cardinal Well being Inc (NYSE:) and McKesson Corp (NYSE:) – have reached nationwide settlements price $26 billion to resolve state and native authorities opioid claims. West Virginia was one in all 5 states that didn’t signal on to the J&J portion of that settlement.

West Virginia has accused the drug producers of making a “public nuisance” by deceiving prescribers in regards to the dangers of opioid painkillers and of violating the state’s Client Credit score and Safety Act.

The businesses’ advertising efforts brought about opioids to develop into a standard remedy for persistent ache in West Virginia, which led to a rise in substance abuse and overdose deaths, in line with West Virginia’s grievance.

The businesses have denied the allegations.

Morrisey mentioned that he expects the trial earlier than Choose Derek Swope will take as much as two months.

Drugmaker Endo Worldwide (NASDAQ:) Plc, which was a co-defendant within the case, reached a $26 million settlement with West Virginia on March 30.

Greater than 3,300 lawsuits have been filed in opposition to drugmakers, distributors and pharmacies over the disaster. There have been a wave of latest settlements over firms’ accountability for the opioid epidemic.

Final month, Rhode Island and Florida struck settlements to resolve opioid litigation on the eve of trials. Rhode Island reached a deal valued at $107 million with Teva and Allergen and Florida settled with Teva, CVS Well being Corp (NYSE:), Allergan (NYSE:) and Endo for a mixed $878 million.

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