Defendants in Calif. Federal Opioid Cases Seek Longer Timeline, Citing COVID-19 Pandemic

SAN FRANCISCO — Defendant drug makers and distributors in the California federal opioid litigation have opposed plaintiffs’ proposed timeline for the actions, arguing that a lengthier timeline is needed due to, in part, the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a March 20 brief filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, defendants argue that that discovery and other litigation efforts of both plaintiffs and defendants are severely affected by the pandemic, and many of the defendants are involved in providing medical supplies and drugs in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

“The same San Francisco departments and agencies that …