Judge Considers Records Requests on Prescription Painkillers

A federal judge in Ohio will consider whether to allow public access to government data detailing years of prescription opioid painkiller shipments. The information is at the heart of lawsuits filed by hundreds of local governments against the companies that manufacture, distribute and sell the drugs, which are blamed for sparking an addiction and overdose crisis. The Charleston Gazette-Mail is one of the outlets that has made public records requests seeking the data. The Gazette-Mail reported in 2016 that 780 million pills flowed into the state over a six-year period and more than 1,700 residents died in overdoses from prescription opioids. The judge said he would consider the requests and any similar ones in one swoop.