Drug manufacturer Indivior is asking a federal judge to pursue contempt charges against a number of pharmacies and medical providers that have failed to turn over key medical records tied to Suboxone dental injury claims, despite repeated requests from the court, plaintiffs and defendants. (Although multiple companies now sell generic versions of buprenorphine-naloxone, most lawsuits target Indivior because it developed and controlled the original Suboxone film labeling that plaintiffs claim failed to adequately warn about dental risks.)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration first approved Suboxone in tablet form in 2002 to help patients avoid withdrawal symptoms during addiction treatment. Manufacturers later introduced dissolvable film strips placed under the tongue. Following that design change, both Indivior and federal regulators began receiving reports of dental injuries, ultimately leading to an FDA label warning about dental risks in June 2022. Thousands of plaintiffs contend the warning came years too late.
MDL and Bellwether Process
In February 2024, federal Suboxone dental injury lawsuits were consolidated into a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Northern District of Ohio before U.S. District Judge Philip Calabrese for coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings.
Judge Calabrese established a bellwether trial process to prepare representative cases for early trials that may indicate how juries respond to recurring evidence and testimony. The court designated 500 lawsuits for a Records Collection Pool, requiring plaintiffs to produce medical and pharmacy records so the parties could narrow the group to 100 representative cases for core discovery.
However, attorneys report ongoing difficulty obtaining patient records from certain pharmacies and medical providers. Despite repeated requests from both sides and court orders, some providers have failed to respond.
Last February, the court ordered pharmacies to produce Suboxone prescription records within 30 days of receiving proper requests. Nearly a year later, some providers remain non-compliant. After earlier warnings and a show-cause order issued in August, Indivior filed a renewed motion in January 2026 seeking sanctions or contempt findings against approximately two dozen providers that still have not complied.
100 Lawsuits Move Forward
Separately, Judge Calabrese selected 100 claims from the Records Collection Pool to proceed through coordinated core discovery. These cases were randomly chosen from plaintiffs who had substantially completed record production.
Under the court’s schedule, plaintiffs must submit Plaintiff Fact Sheets and supporting materials by April 20, 2026, with defense submissions due May 20, 2026. After discovery concludes, it is expected that 15 lawsuits will be chosen as bellwether trial candidates.
READ MORE SUBOXONE TOOTH DECAY LEGAL NEWS
While bellwether verdicts will not bind remaining plaintiffs, jury outcomes often influence settlement negotiations. If no global resolution is reached, cases could eventually be remanded back to their original federal courts for individual trials.
Previous Suboxone Lawsuit Settlements
Suboxone manufacturers have a history of settlements.
- 2019: Reckitt Benckiser agreed to a $1.4 billion settlement over deceptive marketing allegations.
- 2020: Indivior paid $600 million to resolve claims involving improper marketing practices.
- 2021: Indivior and Reckitt Benckiser paid $60 million in an antitrust settlement related to blocking lower-cost alternatives.
- 2023: Indivior agreed to pay $385 million over allegations it suppressed generic competition.
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