New Delhi: A New York jury has found that drug maker Teva Pharmaceuticals and its affiliates helped fuel an opioid epidemic in the US state, the BBC reported.
A lawsuit filed by the state’s attorney general in 2019 accused Teva and other firms of aggressively marketing painkillers across the state, while doing nothing to minimise addiction.
Damages the company will have to pay will be determined later. Teva said on Thursday it will appeal the verdict, the report said.
The drug maker argued at trial that it complied with federal and state regulations and denied engaging in deceptive marketing.
In a statement, New York State Attorney General Laetitia James said that the jury found the firm and its affiliates liable for “death and destruction” across the US.
“Teva Pharmaceuticals USA and others misled the American people about the true dangers of opioids,” she said, the report added.
The 2019 lawsuit targeted six drug makers, members of the Sackler family – which founded Purdue Pharma – and opioid distributors. Many reached settlements with the state.
Supporters of the lawsuit hope that the damages that Teva will have to pay will be used to improve treatment and support services for those affected by opioid addiction.
