According to news report a California judge on Nov. 1 ruled that four drug makers cannot be held liable for the state’s opioid crisis, according to NPR.
Four California counties filed the lawsuit in 2014, alleging that Allergan, Endo International, Johnson & Johnson and Teva Pharmaceuticals used misleading marketing to increase prescription opioid sales. The drug companies denied any wrongdoing.
The counties were seeking settlements totaling more than $50 billion, which would have supported various public health and drug treatment programs in the state.
In his ruling, Judge Peter Wilson said the plaintiffs failed to provide evidence showing a direct link between drugmakers’ marketing efforts and an increase in illicit use of prescription painkillers.
The ruling marks a significant win for the drug industry, NPR reported, which is facing numerous opioid lawsuits filed by counties, cities and states across the U.S.
