September 29, 2021
After years of bobbing and weaving, pharmacy titans CVS, Walgreens and Walmart are poised to go toe-to-toe with heavyweight plaintiffs lawyers in the first opioid trial targeting the pharmacy sector. Here, Law360 looks at the showdown's lead lawyers, biggest uncertainties and intensely acrimonious atmosphere.
September 28, 2021
The Cherokee Nation announced Tuesday that it's reached a $75 million settlement with AmerisourceBergen Corp., Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp. over claims that the companies contributed to the opioid epidemic.
September 21, 2021
Two Ohio counties involved in an upcoming bellwether trial against pharmacies in sprawling multidistrict opioid litigation asked an Ohio federal judge on Tuesday to exclude nearly 40 potential jurors who are not vaccinated against COVID-19, saying that allowing unvaccinated jurors to serve on the jury would be likely to disrupt the trial.
September 20, 2021
An Ohio federal judge narrowed what a Stanford University doctor will be allowed to testify about when it comes to aspects of opioid pharmacy operations during an upcoming bellwether trial, but she will allow the expert to speak on alleged "red flags" the industry ignored.
September 17, 2021
A flash flood of misconduct inquiries in opioid litigation across the country is rapidly engulfing Endo Pharmaceuticals and threatening to inflict considerable damage on the professional reputations of its Arnold & Porter attorneys, according to legal filings, court proceedings and interviews.
September 14, 2021
An Ohio federal judge will limit the scope of an expert's testimony about how pharmacies failed to heed "red flags" meant to curb the diversion of opioids, saying he can opine that the alleged failure likely led to the drugs getting out on the streets, but he cannot establish a direct causal link.
September 08, 2021
An Oklahoma federal judge on Wednesday paused key proceedings in the bellwether case for Native American tribes in multidistrict opioid litigation after the Cherokee Nation and the country's largest drug distributors indicated that a major settlement might be imminent.
August 26, 2021
A years-in-the-making opioid trial against major pharmacy chains won't include Rite Aid Corp., which revealed a deal Thursday to avoid going before an Ohio federal jury on allegations it unlawfully dispensed and distributed massive amounts of prescription narcotics.
August 20, 2021
New Jersey intends to join a $26 billion settlement with Johnson & Johnson and three pharmaceutical distribution companies in sprawling multidistrict litigation over the companies' roles in the opioid crisis, acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck said Friday.
August 18, 2021
A regional supermarket chain on Tuesday told the Ohio federal judge overseeing the multidistrict litigation over the opioid crisis that it should be let out of public nuisance claims brought by two counties in an upcoming bellwether trial since it has a decadelong history of compliance with anti-diversion laws.