NY Prosecutors Accuse Israeli Drug Maker of Thousands of American Deaths

The Public Prosecution Office in the US state of New York (NY) announced that "the jury concluded that the Israeli pharmaceutical company, TEVA, and its  local partners in the US were responsible for the death and destruction they inflicted on the American people."

This came after a landmark trial in the "opioid" (opioid pain reliever) case, which lasted six months, and involved more than ten companies, many of which were found innocent, leaving Teva and its subsidiaries in the dock.

The lawsuit, brought by New York State, Nassau County, and Suffolk, was based on the grounds that the listed companies misled people about the true danger of the opioids they promoted.

Prosecutors blamed Teva and its subsidiaries for creating the "opioid scourge", and prosecutors accused drug companies of fueling the epidemic that has killed thousands and infected millions more.

"Manufacturers and distributors have driven insanely to promote opioid pain relievers to New York communities without warning of the dangers and addictions involved in their abuse," the lawsuit said.

State and county officials, as well as families of victims, said they "want to hold drug companies responsible for the deaths and misery caused by the opioid epidemic."

Teva vehemently rejected today's result and announced that it was preparing for a rapid appeal to challenge the decision.

Another trial is scheduled to determine the amount that will be asked of "Teva" and others, which will be added to a pre-determined amount of up to one and a half billion US dollars.