Tennessee Judge Sanctions Endo for Withholding Documents in Opioid Court Case

A Tennessee state court judge has penalized Endo International for employing what it called a “coordinated strategy” to conceal reams of documents needed for discovery in a lawsuit that charged the company with fueling the opioid epidemic.

This marks the second time in under a year that the company has been punished for withholding documents needed for a pending court case.

The judge, which Endo sought to have removed from the case, found that the drugmaker endeavored to delay the lawsuit in which many communities are seeking damages. The trial is now set for next year.

Endo, which is accused of permitting its prescription painkiller, Opana ER, to be distributed on the illegal drug market, said it strongly disagrees with the court’s ruling and is “considering its appellate options.”