(Reuters) – An Oklahoma judge on Monday approved a revised $85 million (£66.7 million) settlement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd resolving claims by the state’s attorney general that the drugmaker helped fuel the U.S. opioid epidemic.
The decision by Cleveland County District Judge Thad Balkman in Norman, Oklahoma came after the state’s attorney general, governor and top lawmakers resolved a dispute over how the money should be deposited and spent.
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter struck an initial settlement with Teva on May 26, just days before the Israel-based drugmaker was set to face trial alongside Johnson & Johnson, which is continuing to fight the case.
The settlement resolved claims that Teva and other drugmakers helped cause the epidemic by marketing opioids as safe and effective for everyday pain while downplaying their addictive qualities.
The case is one of around 2,000 by state and local governments seeking to hold drugmakers responsible for an…
Source news reuters.com, click here to read the full news.
