The Latest: Newspapers consider appealing opioid data ruling

The Latest on a judge's decision not to make federal opioid data subject to public records requests (all times local):

6:05 p.m.

Two newspapers are considering appealing a judge's decision not to grant their requests for records on how prescription opioids were distributed.

The Washington Post and The Charleston Gazette-Mail of West Virginia had asked a federal judge in Cleveland to allow local governments to make the records public.

Judge Dan Polster ruled Thursday the data can be used to prepare for trial and for law enforcement purposes but cannot be disclosed to the public.

The Drug Enforcement Agency is providing the data to help with lawsuits by hundreds of state and local governments against companies that make, distribute and sell the drugs, which are at the center of a nationwide overdose and addiction crisis. The companies are fighting the lawsuits.

Washington Post lawyer Karen Lefton says the ruling doesn't help families of victims.

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11:40 a.m.

A federal judge has ruled that local governments cannot make public federal government data about where prescription opioids were distributed.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is providing the information to state and local governments to use in their lawsuits against companies that make, distribute and sell the drugs at the center of a national overdose and addiction crisis.

News organizations are requesting the data through public records requests.

Cleveland-based Judge Dan Polster, who is overseeing more than 800 of the lawsuits, ruled Thursday that it cannot be made public.

He says it contains trade secrets for the companies and is exempt from federal Freedom of Information Act requests.

The Washington Post and HD Media, owner of The Charleston Gazette-Mail in West Virginia, asked the court to allow the information to be released.