Drugmakers Argue for Dismissal of Chicago’s Opioid Suit

Six pharmaceutical companies are pushing for the dismissal of a False Claims Act suit by the City of Chicago over their promotion of opioids, arguing that the city has yet to provide factual evidence of any harm.

Purdue Pharma, Teva, Johnson and Johnson, Janssen Pharma, Endo Pharma and Allergan said the city has not provided a link between the companies’ alleged misleading promotion of opioids and problems faced by the city related to opioid spending.  

The city previously attempted to show causation by attaching Endo prescription records to the complaint, but these records failed to show any improper or wrongful prescriptions of opioids, which is the allegation at the center of the lawsuit.