Purdue's Motion To Dismiss Opioid Marketing Case Rejected

Purdue's Motion To Dismiss Opioid Marketing Case Rejected

Introduction

Merrimack County Superior Court Judge John Kissinger rejected Purdue Pharma's motion to dismiss claims filed against it over opioid’s deceptive marketing in New Hampshire.

The county judge asserted that Purdue Pharma purposely downplayed the health risks of its opioid OxyContin and extensively marketed its benefits. The jury found the state's claims against the opioid manufacturer were not preempted by federal law, and they must face the trial to deal with opioid addiction accusations. Recently, Endo Pharmaceuticals announced to settle all opioid lawsuits filed against them in a separate track from the federal MDL.

More than 400 lawsuits associated with opioid injuries are centralized as a part of multidistrict litigation, MDL No. 2804 (In Re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation) in the Northern District of Ohio before U.S. District Judge Dan A. Polster. The first bellwether trial in the litigation has been scheduled for September 3, 2019.