Rhode Island's Opioid Trial Against Teva Begins Today: Reuters - Teva Pharmaceutical Indus (NYSE:TEVA)

The first trial in Rhode Island state court against Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's TEVA alleged responsibility for the opioid crisis begins jury selection Monday.
The case begins over whether Teva contributed to an opioid crisis that has caused more than 500,000 deaths over the past two decades.
Rhode Island says Teva created a "public nuisance" by downplaying the risks of opioid addiction and promoting the off-label use of fentanyl-based opioids that were approved only for certain types of cancer pain.
According to a Teva court filing, Rhode Island is seeking $5.9 billion from the companies.
Also See: Teva, Texas Enter $225M Opioid Settlement Agreement.
Teva subsidiaries Actavis Pharma and Cephalon Inc are also defendants in Rhode Island Superior Court in Providence.
The companies have denied the allegations, saying they sold legal and approved drugs for pain treatment.
In court filings by Teva, it calls Rhode Island's lawsuit an improper attempt to blame a wide-ranging public health crisis on "a small subset of opioid manufacturers" that make "niche" medicines like Actiq and Fentora.
Teva also sells generic opioids such as oxycodone.
Price Action: TEVA shares are down 2.61% at $7.29 during the market session on the last check Monday.