The first trial related to the opioid crisis in the U.S. against a drugmaker is set to begin May 28 in Oklahoma.
Six things to know:
1. Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter will face off against Johnson & Johnson. Mr. Hunter alleges J&J helped ignite the opioid crisis that has killed thousands of residents in the state by misleading physicians and patients about the risks associated with the painkillers.
2. Two other defendants —Teva Pharmaceuticals and Purdue Pharma — sidestepped the trial by reaching settlements with the state. Both denied any wrongdoing.
3. The trial is a bench trial, meaning it will be in front of a judge without a jury, according to NPR.
4. The Oklahoma lawsuit against J&J is the first opioid case to reach trial and could set a precedent for damages paid to communities and states for the crisis. All eyes are watching the landmark trial as it will provide an examination into how the country's opioid epidemic worsened and could also indicate to what degree drugmakers may be held responsible for fueling the crisis.
5. "We have looked at literally, millions of documents, taken hundreds of depositions, and we are even more convinced that these companies are the proximate cause for the epidemic in our state and in our country," Mr. Hunter told NPR.
6. The Oklahoma trial will be broadcast online and is expected to last most of the summer, according to Politico.