Here are some events of interest to the health law community this week. All times are local unless otherwise noted.

Monday, Nov. 1

9 a.m. – Jury selection is scheduled to begin in a lawsuit by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall accusing the drug distributor McKesson Corp and drug maker Endo International Plc of fueling the U.S. opioid epidemic. McKesson recently proposed settling all opioid cases against it by states and local governments for $26 billion, but Alabama has opted not to join that settlement. McKesson in a motion in August said the state was seeking more than $20 billion. Opening statements are expected Wednesday.

The case is State of Alabama v. Endo Health Solutions Inc, et al, Montgomery County Circuit Court, Alabama, No. CV-2019-901174. For Alabama: Deputy Attorneys General Rhon Jones; Joshua Hayes and Jere Beasley, and Rhon Jones of Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles; and Robert Prince of Prince Glover Hayes. For McKesson: Harlan Prater of Lightfoot, Franklin & White and H. Lewis Gillis of Means Gillis Law. For Endo: Carole Rendon of BakerHostetler.

9:00 a.m. – The latest in a series of bellwether trials is scheduled in one of thousands of lawsuits against 3M Co over its military-issue earplugs, which plaintiffs say were defective and caused hearing loss and damage. The trial will take place before U.S. District Judge Liles Burke of the Northern District of Alabama, but will be located in the Northern District of Florida in Pensacola, where a multidistrict litigation is pending. Plaintiff Joseph Palanki alleges he suffered hearing damage after wearing the earplugs while stationed at a …….

Source: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/week-ahead-health-nov-1-2021-2021-10-29/