A Massachusetts judge has ordered the full release of a lawsuit claiming Purdue Pharma fueled the opioid epidemic, according to online medical news site STAT.
Previous versions of the complaint contained several redacted sections. The judge ruled that the lawsuit should have been released in full to the public.
The unredacted version may shed light on some of the marketing decisions by Purdue and how much money executives made.
The decision, from Suffolk County Superior Court Judge Janet Sanders, was a response to a motion filed by media organizations seeking access to the full lawsuit. The complaint must be made public by noon Feb.1, according to the report.
"The disclosure of the information — while it may prove embarrassing for some of the defendants — is not intensely personal or private," Ms. Sanders wrote in her opinion, according to STAT. "In essence, the information describes the inner workings of a company and discussions about company business among its directors, officers and employees. Any interest in keeping this information secret is hardly compelling and certainly not enough to overcome the presumption of public access."
Purdue Pharma officials said they plan to ask an appellate court to put a stay on Ms. Sander's ruling.
The lawsuit in question was filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey last June.