Preview Newsletter
Opioid Litigation Daily Media Report 10/31/17
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DeWine unveils new plan to combat opioid crisis and demands drug companies pay for it
Oct 31, 2017 | Vindy (OH)
By Jordyn Grzelewski
Speaking from a Mahoning Valley business that has felt the impact of Ohio’s opioid epidemic, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Monday a plan to combat the opioid epidemic. -
Ohio Attorney General wants opioid lawsuit settled soon
Oct 30, 2017 | NBC4i (OH)
By Rick Reitzel
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said he sent a letter to big drug companies telling them they have 30 days to come forward and begin settlement talks. In May DeWine’s office filed a lawsuit against five big pharmaceutical companies alleging they promoted the use of opiates for long-term pain creating a drug epidemic. -
"Ohio is in crisis," Ohio AG announces new plan to fight opioid epidemic
Oct 30, 2017 | WKEF (OH)
By Christina Schaefer
"Ohio is in crisis," Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said today as he rolled out a list of new initiatives in the fight against the state's opioid crisis. -
DeWine: Drug manufacturers should pay for 12 point opioid solutions plan
Oct 30, 2017 | WFMJ (OH)
By Cristen Manion
Ohio's top dog in law enforcement is once again looking for new ways to battle the deadly opioid epidemic, at the expense of the companies who created the addictive painkillers in the first place. -
"Recovery Ohio": DeWine releases plan to combat opioid epidemic
Oct 30, 2017 | 10 TV (OH)
By Staff
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine unveiled a set of 12 new initiatives to combat the opioid crisis on Monday. -
It's time for drug makers to settle suit and pay Ohio for opioid epidemic, DeWine says
Oct 31, 2017 | Cleveland.com (OH)
By Laura Hancock
State Attorney General Mike DeWine, also a candidate for governor, announced Monday he wants to begin lawsuit settlement discussions with the five pharmaceutical companies that manufacture opioids. -
DeWine Putting Pressure On Drug Companies To Clean Up Opioid Crisis
Oct 31, 2017 | WOSU (OH)
By Karen Kasler
Ohio’s attorney general says the state needs to be doing more to fight the opioid crisis, which last year killed an average of 11 Ohioans a day. He says he’s putting pressure on the drug companies the state is already suing. -
State of Ohio and Toledo to sue drug manufacturers in state's opioid crisis
Oct 31, 2017 | WTOL 11 (OH)
By Staff
Ohio is launching a new 12-point initiative to fight the state's opioid crisis. -
Toledo Joins List of Cities Suing Drugmakers Over Opioids
Oct 31, 2017 | AP
Ohio's fourth-largest city is joining several cities and counties around the state by filing its own lawsuit against prescription drugmakers and distributors. -
Toledo sues opioid manufacturers, distributors
Oct 31, 2017 | The Toledo Blade (OH)
By Ignazio Messina
The city of Toledo sued 24 opioid manufacturers and distributors Monday, Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson announced. -
Opioid fight: Toledo files lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies
Oct 30, 2017 | ABC 13 (OH)
By Kristian Brown
Dozens of cities across the country are filing lawsuits against drug manufacturers and now Toledo is following suit. -
Shareholder Activists Press Drug Firms on Business Risks of Opioid Crisis
Oct 31, 2017 | Reuters
By Ross Kerber
U.S. shareholder activists are addressing a soaring death toll from opioid drug abuse, asking companies that make and distribute the painkillers to review the risks their businesses could face from their role in the sector -
Investor coalition calls on 10 firms to assess their risks related to opioids
Oct 30, 2017 | Pensions & Investments
By Meaghan Kilroy
A coalition of 30 investors representing more than $1.3 trillion in assets is calling on 10 opioid distributors and manufacturers to examine how they are responding to business risks related to opioids. -
Richland County Children Services lawsuit sues major drug companies over opioids
Oct 31, 2017 | 3 WKYC (OH)
By Mark Caudill
Richland County Children Services has filed a lawsuit accusing several major prescription drug companies of intentionally misleading the public about the dangers of opioids to sell more painkillers as they raked in “blockbuster profits.” -
Missouri AG to Expand Investigation into Pharmaceutical Over Opioid Epidemic
Oct 30, 2017 | Missourinet (MO)
By Jason Taylor
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley will hold a press conference Tuesday, to announce a major expansion of his investigation of companies involved in the opioid epidemic. -
Pinellas County Commission considers potential opioid litigation
Oct 30, 2017 | Tampa Bay Newspapers (FL)
By Suzette Porter
As cities and counties in Florida join others across the United States filing lawsuits against drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and even doctors to try to recoup some of the costs associated with the opioid epidemic, Pinellas County has decided to consider doing the same. -
City of Lansing moving forward on lawsuit against opioid manufacturers, distributors
Oct 31, 2017 | Fox 47 News (MI)
By Staff
There's no question first responders should be using Narcan to save the lives of people overdosing on opioids, but it's become a significant cost for the city of Lansing: -
Lansing moves toward suing drug companies for opioid crisis
Oct 30, 2017 | Michigan Radio (MI)
By Steve Carmody
Monday night, the Lansing city council declared the opioid crisis a public nuisance. It’s a first step toward filing a lawsuit against drug companies. -
Butler County to sue opioid makers amid heroin crisis
Oct 30, 2017 | WCPO Cincinnati (OH)
By Denise Callihan
Butler County commissioners gave the green light Monday to sue opioid manufacturers and distributors, hoping to get those entities to pay for the area’s heroin epidemic. -
Ohio county files opioid lawsuit against drugmakers, distributors
Oct 31, 2017 | Becker's Hospital Review
By Brian Zimmerman
Officials with Cuyahoga County filed a lawsuit against multiple drugmakers, drug distributors and physicians for their alleged role in facilitating high rates of opioid overdoses in one of Ohio's most-populated counties. -
Drugmaker set to profit from an opioid it said was unsafe
Oct 30, 2017 | CNN
By David Heath
It's not uncommon for drug companies to try to keep generic versions of their best-selling drugs off the market. But this is a story about a drug company that went to extraordinary lengths to do so, calling into question the safety of a drug it had sold for years. When its plan didn't work, the company made an unusual decision. -
Missouri AG Hawley to hold press conference on opioid epidemic
Oct 30, 2017 | KFVS 12 (MO)
By Jasmine Adams
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley will hold a press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 31 on the Missouri opioid epidemic. -
Trump opioid panel will recommend nationwide drug courts, tightened requirements for prescribers
Oct 30, 2017 | STAT News
By Lev Facher
President Trump’s commission on combating the opioid epidemic plans to encourage the federal government to establish drug courts in every federal judicial district, adjust reimbursement rates for addiction treatment, and streamline federal funding used by state and local governments to implement drug treatment and prevention programs, according to a draft of the panel’s final report. -
McKesson Recommends Quick Federal Action on Key Opioid Solution Ideas (PRESS RELEASE)
Oct 31, 2017 | McKesson
Today, on the heels of the President declaring the opioid crisis as a “national public health emergency,” McKesson sets forth several recommendations on areas needing quick federal action. -
Is Opioid Litigation the New Tobacco? Not Quite, Even if There's a Family Resemblance
Oct 30, 2017 | The National Law Journal
By Amanda Bronstad
Lawyers filing dozens of lawsuits over the opioid crisis have taken a page out of the Big Tobacco playbook—but not the whole book. -
Good Morning Cincinnati at 9am
Oct 31, 2017 | WKRC (CBS)
By Cincinnati, OH
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389946?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263 -
FOX19 NOW at 7
Oct 31, 2017 | WXIX (FOX)
By Cincinnati, OH
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389948?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263 -
Good Morning Tri-State at 6am
Oct 31, 2017 | WCPO (ABC)
By Cincinnati, OH
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389952?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263 -
NBC 4 Today at 6am
Oct 31, 2017 | WCMH (NBC)
By Columbus, OH
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389964?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263 -
Good Day Express
Oct 31, 2017 | WTTE (FOX)
By Columbus, OH
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389972?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263 -
WLWT News 5 Today
Oct 31, 2017 | WLWT (NBC)
By Cincinnati, OH
Video LInk: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389982?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263
AG Mike DeWine Opioid Initiatives
Toledo, Ohio Suit
Investors for Opioid Accountability
Other Litigation Coverage
Commentary and FYIs
Broadcast Media Coverage
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DeWine unveils new plan to combat opioid crisis and demands drug companies pay for it
Oct 31, 2017 | Vindy (OH)
By Jordyn Grzelewski
Speaking from a Mahoning Valley business that has felt the impact of Ohio’s opioid epidemic, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Monday a plan to combat the opioid epidemic.
DeWine’s “Recovery Ohio” plan features 12 proposals. Some, such as doubling substance-abuse treatment capacity in the state, are costly – but DeWine said he will do everything in his power to get pharmaceutical companies to foot the bill.
“I believe the people who should pay for this are the people who have caused a great deal of this tragedy, a great deal of this sorrow, and that is the drug companies,” said DeWine, speaking from Roof Rite Inc., a roofing company on Velma Court.
He said he sent letters Monday to Purdue Pharma, Endo Health Solutions, Teva Pharmaceutical, Johnson & Johnson, and Allergan – the same companies against which he filed a lawsuit earlier this year over their role in the opioid epidemic.
He also sent letters to drug distributors Cardinal Health, McKesson, and Amerisource Bergen asking them to help pay for the costs of the opioid epidemic that kills 4,000 Ohioans per year. He gave them all a 30-day deadline to “begin serious discussions about paying their fair share.”
Bill Cruciger, Roof Rite president/CEO, said the business has had difficulty hiring employees due to applicants’ inability to pass drug tests. Over the last year, the company has partnered with Flying HIGH Inc., a Youngstown-based nonprofit organization that offers job readiness and placement assistance.
DeWine, a 2018 Republican gubernatorial candidate, said it’s an issue about which he often hears.
“The No. 1 concern expressed to me by businessmen and women is, ‘We have a difficult time hiring people,’” he said.
That issue is addressed in his plan, with a proposal to incentivize employers to hire people in recovery. DeWine proposes the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation start a pilot program to encourage employers to hire applicants who have completed “appropriate treatment programming.”
The program, as DeWine envisions it, would reimburse the employer part of the employee’s wages, provide training to the employee and protect the company from any BWC rate increases if the employee were to relapse and cause a work-related accident.
Some of his other proposals include creating more specialized drug courts and doubling substance-abuse treatment capacity, possibly by better using Ohio hospitals’ existing capacity or driving more money to local mental health and recovery boards to pay for treatment.
DeWine said his recovery plan is based on previous initiatives that have been successful. The drug epidemic’s evolution from prescription painkillers to heroin, and now to powerful synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, however, necessitates new strategies.
Also at the news conference, DeWine praised President Donald Trump’s response to the opioid epidemic.
“I applaud President Trump for his declaration last week of a national health emergency,” he said. “He gets it. He gets that this is a real national emergency.”
DeWine would not say what his response will be if the companies to which he sent letters do not respond to his 30-day deadline.
“They can wait and think about it. But I will escalate. I will escalate until I get their attention,” he said.
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Ohio Attorney General wants opioid lawsuit settled soon
Oct 30, 2017 | NBC4i (OH)
By Rick Reitzel
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said he sent a letter to big drug companies telling them they have 30 days to come forward and begin settlement talks. In May DeWine’s office filed a lawsuit against five big pharmaceutical companies alleging they promoted the use of opiates for long-term pain creating a drug epidemic.
“We have to have a sense of urgency about this. We have to have a sense that this is a crisis in the state of Ohio,” DeWine said. “We have to target the people who created it,” DeWine said.
The lawsuit names Purdue Pharma, Endo Health Solutions, Teva Pharmaceutical, Johnson and Johnson and Allergan.
“Do you see them coming forward with a huge education plan that they could roll out, that helps the people in the state of Ohio, helps kids from becoming addicted in the future? No, you don’t see them do any of this. I am going to make them do it,” DeWine said.
Scott Weidle’s son Daniel died of a drug overdose after his father said he got hooked on prescription opioids.
“This current epidemic did not start on a street corner, it started in a doctor’s office,” Weidle said.
He agrees with the state’s lawsuit and said they should shoulder their responsibility for the drug epidemic, but would like to see it taken further.
“Now that we have trained our doctors to use opioids it is a habit that is hard to break. And until we get legislation in place that causes some hard limits, we will struggle with this issue for years to come,” said Weidle.
A proposed state law referred to as Daniel’s Law, named after Weidle’s son would limit the amount of opiates a doctor could prescribe and only for acute pain, not chronic. He said the law has language to grandfather folks already using opioids. But he said it could be next year before it sees the light of day on the statehouse floor.
DeWine said he has a twelve point Ohio recovery plan.Pass legislation to give the Governor the ability to declare a public health emergency statewide or in specific areas, which would allow for the distribution of money and other resources to local entities that are facing unexpected emergency conditions like overdose spikes, and creating an accelerated process for state licenses or approvals in critical professions such as the medical or social work fields as well as expedited licensing reciprocity with other states.Create a 21st century law enforcement data infrastructure that allows real-time, statewide data sharing and brings state-of-the-art data analytics and crime prediction to every Ohio law enforcement agency.Expand proven drug task force models that specifically target and disrupt the flow of money and drugs from Mexican drug cartels.Create at least 60 more specialized drug courts.Double the substance use treatment capacity in Ohio.Expand workforce of critical specialists.Empower employers to help employees with substance use disorder to seek treatment while remaining employed.Help business owners hire employees in recovery by offering employers incentives and reducing risks.Create a special position reporting directly to the Governor with Cabinet-level authority, who works every day with the single-minded focus of fighting the opioid epidemic.Implement proven Kindergarten-12th-grade drug prevention education in all Ohio schools.Roll out a statewide drug prevention media campaignExpanded early intervention programs that target Ohio families and children in foster care.
DeWine said that these initiatives should be paid for by the people who are chiefly responsible for the crisis – and that is the drug companies.
According to statistics from the AG, 14 people die every day from this drug epidemic and it is costing the state $5 million every day.
Only one of the five drug companies responded so far to NBC4’s request. Allergan Director of Corporate Affairs Mark Marmur said, “Allergan intends to work cooperatively with Attorney General DeWine, as we have in the past, on this issue. Allergan has a history of supporting — and continues to support — the safe, responsible use of prescription medications. This includes opioid medications, which when sold, prescribed and used responsibly, play an appropriate role in pain relief for millions of Americans.
It is also important to put into perspective Allergan’s role regarding opioids. Allergan’s two branded opioid products – Norco and Kadian – account for less than 0.08% of all opioid products prescribed in 2016 in the U.S. These products came to Allergan through legacy acquisitions and have not been promoted since 2012, in the case of Kadian, and since 2003, in the case of Norco. “
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"Ohio is in crisis," Ohio AG announces new plan to fight opioid epidemic
Oct 30, 2017 | WKEF (OH)
By Christina Schaefer
"Ohio is in crisis," Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said today as he rolled out a list of new initiatives in the fight against the state's opioid crisis.
DeWine says on average, around 14 people die every day as a result of an opioid overdose in Ohio, "More people will die in Ohio this week than died in the devastating shooting recently in Las Vegas," he said. That is why DeWine says he's laying out a plan he's calling "Recovery Ohio," that will include increased treatment, new tools for law enforcement and expanding prevention.
The plan has twelve parts:Pass legislation to give the Governor the ability to declare a public health emergency statewide or in specific areas, which would allow for the distribution of money and other resources to local entities that are facing unexpected emergency conditions like overdose spikes, and creating an accelerated process for state licenses or approvals in critical professions such as the medical or social work fields as well as expedited licensing reciprocity with other states.Create a 21st century law enforcement data infrastructure that allows real-time, statewide data sharing and brings state-of-the-art data analytics and crime prediction to every Ohio law enforcement agency.Expand proven drug task force models that specifically target and disrupt the flow of money and drugs from Mexican drug cartels.Create at least 60 more specialized drug courts.Double the substance use treatment capacity in Ohio.Expand workforce of critical specialists.Empower employers to help employees with substance use disorder to seek treatment while remaining employed.Help business owners hire employees in recovery by offering employers incentives and reducing risks.Create a special position reporting directly to the Governor with Cabinet-level authority, who works every day with the single-minded focus of fighting the opioid epidemic.Implement proven Kindergarten-12th grade drug prevention education in all Ohio schools.Roll out a statewide drug prevention media campaignExpanded early intervention programs that target Ohio families and children in foster care.
DeWine says the plan will be paid for by drug companies, who he says are responsible for the opioid crisis. The AG says he's sent a letter to Purdue Pharma, Endo Health Solutions, Teva, Johnson & Johnson and Allegran, which are the five companies which DeWine's office filed a lawsuit against in May. DeWine says he will give those companies 30 days to come forward to begin settlement solutions. Letters have also been sent to drug distributors Cardinal Health, McKesson and Amerisource Bergen. "While there is no amount of money that can bring back the thousands of our fellow Ohioans who have died or take away the pain of their families, these drug companies must be held accountable," DeWine said.
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DeWine: Drug manufacturers should pay for 12 point opioid solutions plan
Oct 30, 2017 | WFMJ (OH)
By Cristen Manion
Ohio's top dog in law enforcement is once again looking for new ways to battle the deadly opioid epidemic, at the expense of the companies who created the addictive painkillers in the first place.
In an early morning conference Monday morning, Ohio's Attorney General Mike DeWine unveiled a series of new initiatives that his office is hoping to introduce in order to help combat this crisis.
In May, DeWine sued the five largest manufacturers of prescription opioids for their alleged roles in misleading doctors about how addictive prescription opioids are. The lawsuit seeks remedies from the manufacturers to help remediate the damage caused by the proliferation of opioids in Ohio.
Now the Attorney General says he's hoping to drive those same drug companies to the bargaining table and speed up the process. DeWine acknowledged that lawsuits are lengthy, particularly when they involve as much investigation and discovery as in a case like this.
DeWine says he's hoping that the companies will recognize their part in the epidemic and come forward with discussions about how they can help, and possible settlements for the lawsuits.
"Look they made this problem, the drug companies created this problem. What these drug companies have done is killing Ohioans every single day. Right now as we speak there is undoubtedly someone who is dying or just died. We have to have a sense of urgency about this. We have to have a sense that this is a crisis in the state of Ohio. And we have to target the people who created it. These drug companies did it. They knew what they were doing," said DeWine. "And what is the most infuriating part of this is that they have done precious little to do anything to help. Do you see these drug companies out working on people, trying to help people who need treatment? Do you see them coming forward with a huge education program that they can help teach the people in Ohio, helps kids from becoming addicted in the future? No. They're not doing any of it. I'm gonna make them do it!"
According to DeWine, an estimated 14 Ohioans die every day from overdoses.
"Opiate pills were bad enough. Heroin was bad enough. But when you get into Fentanyl, where we are now, and anything else that some evil chemist can come up with, and they will come up with new things, and we see this fentanyl being mixed into other products, it's very possible that the death rate will dramatically go up."
Half of all children in Ohio's foster care system are in care due to one or both parents being addicted to drugs. In Mahoning County, the Children Services Board says they've seen an increase of at least 30 percent in children who are taken from homes because of addicted parents.
DeWine said he's looking to make sure the drug manufacturers are held responsible, and that if the companies are willing to come forward with serious settlement offers and collaborative techniques he would consider them.
The Attorney General said that the cost of battling the epidemic is into the billions of dollars, and said he adamantly believes that the money should not come from the taxpayers, but rather from the companies who helped to create the crisis.
"The more we take this blanket and uncover this mess, the worse the mess looks," said DeWine. "And as we uncover not just the mess that's been created, but as we uncover what the drug companies knew and when they knew it and what they did, the more you know the worse it is for these drug companies."
During his statements, DeWine laid out a 12 point blueprint for programs that he would like to see done with the money to help combat the epidemic.
Among DeWine's list of potential solutions, DeWine said the first step would be to pass legislation giving the Governor the ability to declare a public health emergency statewide or in specific areas, which would allow for the distribution of money and other resources to local entities that are facing unexpected emergency conditions like overdose spikes.
DeWine also said that the legislation could create an accelerated process for state licenses or approvals in critical professions such as the medical or social work fields as well as expedited licensing reciprocity with other states.
The need for addiction treatment providers and specialty feeds was one that reappeared throughout DeWine's list of possible steps to solve the crisis.
The Attorney General said that Ohio is currently facing a shortage of critical specialists who are specifically trained to deal with addiction. One of his ideal solutions would create a program to incentivize students in Ohio to study for, and train to become addiction specialists, treatment providers, social workers, and other similar career specialists.
Under the program, DeWine says student loans could be forgiven for students who study in Ohio universities and stay in Ohio to work in the addiction field.
On a similar note, DeWine discussed the importance of expanding addiction treatment services.
In the state of Ohio, there are currently restrictive legislative rules that prohibit treatment facilities that accept Medicaid funding from providing more than 16 "beds" for treatment. The so-called "16-bed rule" limits the amount of space that Medicaid funded treatment providers can offer in order to combat addiction.
According to DeWine, a new study by the Ohio State University says that the state only has treatment capacity for 20-40 percent of those in Ohio who are currently struggling with opioid addiction.
"The problem is even worse in poor and rural communities," said DeWine.
DeWine's plan looks to double the substance abuse treatment capacity in the state. He specified that Ohio needs a plan to develop, incentivize, or repurpose treatment options.
The Attorney General mentioned two possibilities for how to achieve that: by utilizing Ohio's hospitals and helping local Mental Health and Recovery Boards.
DeWine said that he has been traveling the state and has noticed that in Ohio's hundreds of hospitals, there is space to expand treatment centers. But the 16-bed rule and current Medicaid funding formulas limit how much they are able to contribute.
In addition, DeWine said lawmakers could drive funding to the county-run Mental Health and Recovery Boards, which he said are vastly underfunded, through block grants. The Attorney General made the argument that the local boards could then use the funding to expand treatment options in communities where it is needed most.
Under the umbrella of law enforcement, DeWine's plan calls for new technology and improvements to data systems used by police departments in the Buckeye State.
One particular point of the plan calls for an extensive law enforcement data infrastructure that allows real-time, statewide data sharing and brings state-of-the-art data analytics and crime prediction to every Ohio law enforcement agency.
According to DeWine, under current data techniques, only information on actual arrests is shared from department to department and centralized.
The new infrastructure could allow the nearly 1,000 police departments, sheriff's offices, and law enforcement agencies in Ohio to share information on details like the names of everyone in a car when the driver is arrested for drug trafficking, the number of times law enforcement officers have been called to a given location (such as a suspected drug house), or a list of known associates of someone arrested for a crime.
DeWine argued that centralizing data can allow a department to have better access to crime prediction and analytics that can help catch criminals faster.
"We will continue our great system in Ohio, but frankly, to go against the drug cartels, who are highly organized, highly efficient, who run a horrible, horrible business. To go against them we need better data, better data to share with law enforcement agencies across the state of Ohio," said DeWine.
And in the effort to combat the cartels, DeWine mentioned the need to expand drug task forces that are working.
Providing more funding and more manpower to task forces models that are proven to work well, according to DeWine, disrupt the flow of money and drugs from Mexican drug cartels.
Th AG's organized crime commission has already partnered with state, federal, and local officials to create the Bulk Cash Drug Smuggling Task Forces. DeWine said these task forces target the behaviors of Mexican cartels that smuggle drugs into Ohio, and smuggling money and guns from Ohio back into Mexico.
DeWine said these specific task forces are able to work more quickly than other task forces or local law enforcement agencies because they are able to share data analytics.
He argued, "We need more of these.'
In addition, DeWine also hopes to create at least 60 more specialized drug courts across the state. Counties across the state, like Mahoning and Trumbull, have begun using specialized drug courts, which provided heightened intensity probation programs and treatment options in lieu of standard criminal sentencing.
DeWine said he has seen first hand how drug court programs can help but said that there are more than 20 counties without an existing drug court and hundreds of larger municipalities and larger cities that don't have one.
Many times judges cannot afford to operate a drug court, according to DeWine. He said that the judges can't afford to hire the intensity probation officers or treatment providers that are necessary for such a program.
Attorney General DeWine also admitted that the epidemic is not just a law enforcement problem, it's also a business crisis.
During his message, DeWine said that in traveling across Ohio the number one complaint he hears from employers and businesses is that they can't meet the needs of their company with the workforce that's available.
"We can't find workers who can pass a drug test," DeWine said. "It is a problem so grave that is is slowing the growth of jobs in Ohio. It is slowing the growth of business."
That's why DeWine proposed two new initiatives that could be piloted by the State of Ohio's Bureau of Worker's Compensation.
The first pilot program would empower employers to help get workers treatment while still maintaining a job.
The BWC program would be aimed at existing employees going to the employer and admitting they have an addiction problem.
The Bureau of Workers Compensation would then collaborate with the employer to pay for a portion associated with drug treatment that allows the employee to return to their job when they have completed the addiction treatment program.
The second option presented by DeWine would be a program that would incentivize employers who hire former addicts or those who have gone through recovery treatment.
DeWine argued that the BWC could start a program to provide perks to employers that hire those who have undergone a drug recovery program. For example, DeWine said that the BWC could reimburse a portion of the employee's wages for up to one year, provide necessary training, and indemnify the employer in the case that the employee relapses and causes a work-related injury.
DeWine argued that an option like this would not only promote job growth in the state, but would also overcome the stigma of addiction, promote mental health recovery in addicts, and help create safe workplaces.
In addition, the Attorney General focused on a need for education and early intervention in the state.
Which is why portions of DeWine's plan include enhancing drug prevention lessons in schools, a collaboration with news media organizations, and expanding intervention campaigns that target families and foster children.
Attorney General DeWine said that the most powerful tool in the fight against addiction is early intervention and education children before they become exposed to drugs.
Under the proposal, DeWine looks to see drug prevention programs initiated in every K-12 school across the state. In addition, DeWine said that there should be a requirement that every student receive age-appropriate, evidence-based education.
DeWine said they would also like to begin a statewide media campaign, working closely with the private sector.
The Attorney General said that there have been numerous successful public media campaigns that change behavior and public perceptions.
Under DeWine's idea, the program would include partnerships with television stations, radio stations, newspapers, social media, and toolkits for parents, coaches, teachers, and faith leaders.
Lastly, under education, DeWine wants to expand a program that is already in operation in 18 of Ohio's 88 counties.
The family crisis intervention program targets the whole family or children who have been placed in foster care. The idea is to provide counseling and intervention to stop the cyclical nature of addiction in those who have been traumatized by the epidemic.
One of the last ideas presented by the Attorney General was to create a special position, which would have Cabinet-level authority, and report directly to the Governor.
DeWine said the focus would be to devote a single position to someone who would work every day with the single-minded purpose of battling the epidemic and could work across bureaucratic lines and impact separate agencies and departments.
Attorney General DeWine said that portions of the plan are not terribly expensive. For example, DeWine speculated that initiating the crime data infrastructure would cost approximately $10 million, drug task force models across the state could cost about $10 million and that the expanded task forces would cost approximately $4.5 million a year.
However, portions of the plan, such as expanding treatment, and student loan forgiveness for critical specialists, could cost billions of dollars.
DeWine admitted that his plan is just a blueprint- an idea of where the state could go, and what could be done, with settlement money from the drug manufacturing companies.
DeWine said that these initiatives should be paid for by the people who are chiefly responsible for the crisis - and that is the drug companies.
Monday he sent a letter to Purdue Pharma, Endo Health Solutions, Teva, Johnson & Johnson, and Allergan - the companies he filed suit against in May. He is giving them 30 days to come forward and begin settlement solutions.
He also sent letters today to Cardinal Health, McKesson, and Amerisource Bergen, drug distributors who flooded the state with pills that they knew far exceeded medical need. DeWine asked them to come forward to pay their fair share as well but clarified that he has not yet filed a lawsuit against them.
However, he warned that if they are unwilling to step up and take responsibility, legal action could be taken.
DeWine said that it is no secret that the funding needed to battle the opioid epidemic is not in the state budget, and said that it shouldn't have to come from the rainy day fund that has been built on the backs of taxpayers.
In addition, DeWine argued that everyone knows that Medicaid funding at the federal level is not sustainable at its current level. He said there is currently a fair expectation that federal lawmakers will cut Medicaid at least in sense of the rate of growth.
"They will ramp down the rate of growth when that is done it will have implications for Ohio. The hope is that they will give more authority to the local governments to redesign program," he said. "That's where we are. It's no longer are you for or against it. It's just what are you going to do when they do this."
"In my opinion, any governor is going to have to prioritize addiction when that happens," DeWine continued. "Many battling addictions have mental health issues, not all, but many. We need to look at how to allocate these funds with a huge opiate problem and a serious mental health problem."
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"Recovery Ohio": DeWine releases plan to combat opioid epidemic
Oct 30, 2017 | 10 TV (OH)
By Staff
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine unveiled a set of 12 new initiatives to combat the opioid crisis on Monday.
“Ohio is in crisis,” said Attorney General DeWine. “At least 14 Ohioans are dying every single day in our state from drug overdoses. More people will die in Ohio this week than died in the devastating shooting recently in Las Vegas."
DeWine unveiled a multi-pronged plan called "Recovery Ohio." It includes increased treatment, new tools for law enforcement, and expanding prevention.
RECOVERY OHIO PLAN
NUMBER 1: Pass legislation to give the Governor the ability to declare a public health emergency statewide or in specific areas, which would allow for the distribution of money and other resources to local entities that are facing unexpected emergency conditions like overdose spikes, and creating an accelerated process for state licenses or approvals in critical professions such as the medical or social work fields as well as expedited licensing reciprocity with other states.
NUMBER 2: Create a 21st century law enforcement data infrastructure that allows real-time, statewide data sharing and brings state-of-the-art data analytics and crime prediction to every Ohio law enforcement agency
.NUMBER 3: Expand proven drug task force models that specifically target and disrupt the flow of money and drugs from Mexican drug cartels.
NUMBER 4: Create at least 60 more specialized drug courts.
NUMBER 5: Double the substance use treatment capacity in Ohio.
NUMBER 6: Expand workforce of critical specialists.
NUMBER 7: Empower employers to help employees with substance use disorder to seek treatment while remaining employed
.NUMBER 8: Help business owners hire employees in recovery by offering employers incentives and reducing risks.
NUMBER 9: Create a special position reporting directly to the Governor with Cabinet-level authority, who works every day with the single-minded focus of fighting the opioid epidemic.
NUMBER 10: Implement proven Kindergarten-12th grade drug prevention education in all Ohio schools.
NUMBER 11: Roll out a statewide drug prevention media campaign
NUMBER 12: Expanded early intervention programs that target Ohio families and children in foster care.
DeWine said that these initiatives should be paid for by the people who are chiefly responsible for the crisis - which he says is the drug companies.
According to the AG's office, DeWine sent a letter to Purdue Pharma, Endo Health Solutions, Teva, Johnson & Johnson, and Allergan - the companies he filed suit against in May. He is giving them 30 days to come forward and begin settlement solutions.
DeWine also sent letters to Cardinal Health, McKesson, and Amerisource Bergen, drug distributors he says flooded the state with pills that they knew far exceeded medical need. In those letters, DeWine asked them to come forward to "pay their fair share."
"While there is no amount of money that can bring back the thousands of our fellow Ohioans who have died or take away the pain of their families, these drug companies must be held accountable," DeWine said.
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It's time for drug makers to settle suit and pay Ohio for opioid epidemic, DeWine says
Oct 31, 2017 | Cleveland.com (OH)
By Laura Hancock
State Attorney General Mike DeWine, also a candidate for governor, announced Monday he wants to begin lawsuit settlement discussions with the five pharmaceutical companies that manufacture opioids.
The Republican didn't reveal how much he wants the companies to pay. But at a Monday morning news conference, he announced a 12-point plan to combat the opioid epidemic that includes initiatives that will cost billions of dollars, such as doubling the state's drug treatment capacity.
"The drug companies should pay for this," DeWine said. "They must be held to account. And I will do everything within my power to make them do that. They created this misery. They created this destruction and I'm determined to bring them to justice by demanding they fund the extensive effort needed to clean up their mess."
About 14 Ohioans die a day from drug overdoses, the attorney general said. Many became hooked on heroin, fentanyl and carfentanil by first becoming addicted to legal opioids such as OxyContin that drug companies encouraged doctors to prescribe, discounting their addictiveness, DeWine said.
DeWine said his office sent letters to the five pharmaceutical companies Monday -- Purdue Pharma, Endo Health Solutions, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Johnson & Johnson and Allergan, formerly known as Actavis, saying they had 30 days to come forward with settlement solutions or he would add pressure.
DeWine declined to reveal how he would lean on the companies, saying he didn't want the drug makers to see his hand. He said that the more the public learns about how the industry pushed opioids, the more they will be outraged.
"Despite making billions, billions of dollars from these drugs, they have done comparatively little to help those with substance abuse disorders," he said.
Cleveland.com has left messages with the five manufacturers. Three responded.
Allergan has a history of supporting safe and responsible use of prescription medications. Its two opioids, Norco and Kadian, accounted for less than 0.08 percent of opioids prescribed in 2016 in the U.S., said Mark Marmur, a company spokesman.
"Allergan intends to work cooperatively with Attorney General DeWine, as we have in the past, on this issue," he said.
Johnson and Johnson, too, said its opioids have been less than 1 percent of total opioid prescriptions written a year since 2008. It believes DeWine's allegations in the lawsuits are unfounded, said William Foster, a spokesperson for the company said.
"We have not received the letter yet, therefore we have not had the chance the review and cannot respond," Teva's Denise Bradley said in a statement.
Other ideas in DeWine's 12-point plan to attack the opioid epidemic include:A $10 million data analytics system available to all 1,000 law enforcement agencies in Ohio that would help track currently fragmented information about Mexican drug cartels and drug runners.Creation of at least 60 more specialized drug courts that assist addicts who have been charged with drug crimes get clean and sober at a cost of $9 million or $10 million a year.A cabinet position reporting the governor dedicated solely on the state's opioids problem. It's unclear how DeWine, who will be attorney general through next year, can accomplish this in his current position.
DeWine also said that drug distributors should also be part of a settlement. He believes they helped escalate the problem. They are not part of his original lawsuit.
"In regard to the wholesale distributors, we are very close to an announcement about whether we file a lawsuit in regard to them," he said.
The Ohio Democratic Party has criticized DeWine for not reining in the opioid epidemic before it reached a crisis. Chairman David Pepper considered suing drug companies in 2014, when he attempted to unseat the attorney general.
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DeWine Putting Pressure On Drug Companies To Clean Up Opioid Crisis
Oct 31, 2017 | WOSU (OH)
By Karen Kasler
Ohio’s attorney general says the state needs to be doing more to fight the opioid crisis, which last year killed an average of 11 Ohioans a day. He says he’s putting pressure on the drug companies the state is already suing.
Attorney General Mike DeWine says he’s told those five drug manufacturers they have 30 days to come forward with money – but he wouldn’t reveal what further action he’s considering if they don’t. And DeWine also says he wants drug distributors to pay up too, though the state’s not suing them – for now.
“No announcement today on a lawsuit against the distributors," DeWine said. "What we have said, though, is that we’re asking them to come to the table and they need to do what’s right.”
DeWine, who is running for the Republican nomination for governor, also says he has 12 recommendations to fight the crisis, including legislation to give the governor the power to declare a public health emergency, more data sharing among law enforcement, more drug courts, and the doubling of treatment capacity – but he admits the cost of all that would be in the billions.
The five drug manufacturers Ohio is suing include:Purdue Pharma.Endo Health Solutions.Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and subsidiary Cephalon.Johnson & Johnson and subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals.Allergan
Unlike Cuyahoga County and other local governments, Ohio is not suing any wholesale drug distributors.
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State of Ohio and Toledo to sue drug manufacturers in state's opioid crisis
Oct 31, 2017 | WTOL 11 (OH)
By Staff
Ohio is launching a new 12-point initiative to fight the state's opioid crisis.
The plan includes increased treatment, new tools for law enforcement and expanding prevention.
Attorney General Mike DeWine blames several big pharmaceutical companies for starting the crisis and plans to sue them. He is giving the companies 30 days to start settlements to help pay for the initiative.
"They must be held to account. And I will do everything within my power to make them do that. They created this misery. They created this destruction. And I am determined to bring them to justice, by demanding that they've funded the extensive effort needed to clean up their mess," said DeWine.
DeWine adds that at least 14 people are dying every day from drug overdoses in Ohio.
Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson also announced that the city has filed a lawsuit against drug manufacturers Monday as well.
The Toledo suit is filed in Lucas County common pleas and will be merged with the attorney general's suit that was filed back in May.
"Addiction occurs and 75 percent of the people now gravitate to the street and heroin and become addicted on these prescription pain pills first. We are here to right that wrong," said Scott Kalish with Kalish and Associates.
Other cities that have already joined the lawsuit including Cleveland and Dayton.
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Toledo Joins List of Cities Suing Drugmakers Over Opioids
Oct 31, 2017 | AP
Ohio's fourth-largest city is joining several cities and counties around the state by filing its own lawsuit against prescription drugmakers and distributors.
Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson said Monday that drug companies need to be held accountable for their role in the opioid abuse crisis.
The lawsuits being filed by Toledo and other places accuse the drug companies of intentionally misleading the public about the dangers of opioids.
The companies have denied wrongdoing in response to similar lawsuits filed around the country.
Toledo's mayor says the city has spent more than $400,000 for firefighters to respond to opioid-related emergency calls this year.
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Toledo sues opioid manufacturers, distributors
Oct 31, 2017 | The Toledo Blade (OH)
By Ignazio Messina
The city of Toledo sued 24 opioid manufacturers and distributors Monday, Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson announced.
“It is designed to hold them responsible,” the mayor said.
“The goal is to recover our costs and to change the ways in which they prescribe and advertise these drugs,” she said.
Mayor Hicks-Hudson said city taxpayers have spent more than $400,000 for Toledo firefighters to respond to opioid-related emergency calls this year.
The nearly 300 page lawsuit was filled in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.
Toledo City Council voted on Oct. 17 to hire two law firms, Climaco, Wilcox, Peca & Garofoli Co., LPA, and Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, to sue for opioid-related costs. The law firms represent several other cities, including Dayton and Parma, Ohio, in similar suits “arising out of the alleged fraudulent and negligent marketing and distribution of prescription drugs including hydrocodone, oxycodone, oxymorphone, methadone, and related to the opioid epidemic effecting this community,” council’s ordinance said.
The city has a retainer agreement mandating the two law firms are only paid if they are successful in court, City Law Director Adam Loukx said.
The lawsuit is an attempt to “try to hold an industry that has frankly been irresponsible, responsible,” Mr. Loukx said.
The opioid crisis in Toledo has been an issue in the 2017 mayoral contest.
On Aug. 28, 2017, Toledo mayoral candidate Wade Kapszukiewicz, the Lucas County treasurer, said the city should join a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and suppliers.
“I’m glad the mayor finally supports my plan to fight the opioid epidemic, but for the sake of the city, I wish she would have agreed with me sooner,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said.
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Opioid fight: Toledo files lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies
Oct 30, 2017 | ABC 13 (OH)
By Kristian Brown
Dozens of cities across the country are filing lawsuits against drug manufacturers and now Toledo is following suit.
In a news conference, Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson says the fight against the opioid epidemic has been costly for the city and this lawsuit may help recoup tax payer dollars spent on the crisis.
Monday, the City of Toledo filed a 300 page lawsuit against 20 opioid distributors and manufacturers in the country.
Two attorneys representing Toledo, Lorain, Parma and Cuyahoga County were in attendance.
They believe these companies engaged in deceptive marketing that promoted sales of high-strength painkillers while deliberately understating their addictive potential.
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Shareholder Activists Press Drug Firms on Business Risks of Opioid Crisis
Oct 31, 2017 | Reuters
By Ross Kerber
U.S. shareholder activists are addressing a soaring death toll from opioid drug abuse, asking companies that make and distribute the painkillers to review the risks their businesses could face from their role in the sector
Leaders of a 30-fund group that includes state pension officials and religious and labor organizations plan to reveal on Monday they have begun filing shareholder resolutions at 10 companies, including distributors AmerisourceBergen Corp. and Cardinal Health Inc. and manufacturers Johnson & Johnson and Insys Therapeutics.
In resolutions aimed at annual shareholder meetings to be held in 2018 and in letters to the companies, activists are urging independent directors to review and report on how the boards are managing the legal, financial and reputational risks their enterprises face from their involvement with opioids.
They also seek corporate-governance reforms such as allowing more grounds to claw back pay from executives who inappropriately promote the drugs, or creating independent board chairs to provide better oversight.
Representatives of Cardinal and Insys did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Johnson & Johnson spokesman Ernie Knewitz said the company was preparing a response to the investors, and that the company had acted responsibly.
“Opioid abuse is a serious public health issue that must be addressed, and doing so will require collaboration among many stakeholders, and our company is committed to working with federal, state and local officials to help find meaningful solutions,” he said in an emailed statement.
In a statement emailed by AmerisourceBergen spokeswoman Keri Mattox, the company said it “welcomes a productive dialogue with all shareholders. The issue of opioid abuse is a complex one that spans the full healthcare spectrum, including manufacturers, wholesalers, insurers, prescribers, pharmacists and regulatory and enforcement agencies.”
The statement said the company worked closely with officials “to combat drug diversion while supporting appropriate access to medications.”
At an annual meeting on Nov. 8, Cardinal Health will face a resolution calling for an independent board chair in order to improve oversight.
“These considerations are especially critical at Cardinal given the potential reputational, legal and regulatory risks Cardinal faces over its role in the nation’s opioid epidemic, including its history of compliance challenges concerning the distribution of controlled substances,” the resolution’s sponsors, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said in a supporting statement. The statement cited Cardinal’s payment of tens of millions of dollar to settle various federal and state charges related to opioids.
In a securities filing, Cardinal calls the change unnecessary, noting it already has an independent lead director and “state-of-the-art controls” over its pain medications.
Officials at all levels of government in the United States are struggling to respond to a surge in deaths from opioid abuse, which hit 33,000 in 2015, the last year for which there is complete federal data.
In many cases patients prescribed opioid painkillers become addicted to them and then move on to acquiring the drugs illegally, or turn to heroin or fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opiate.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday declared the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency.
State attorneys general have also taken on opioid manufacturers, with lawsuits charging that deceptive marketing practices helped fuel an epidemic of abuse. Federal prosecutors on Thursday charged the founder of Insys, John Kapoor, with participating in a scheme to bribe doctors to prescribe a particularly potent opioid.
A lawyer for Kapoor said in a statement that Kapoor is innocent and will fight the charges.
Shareholder activists said healthcare providers may have underestimated how addictive the drugs were, but said the crisis points to a need for stronger oversight within drugmakers.
“We believe these companies have played an important role in this epidemic,” said Donna Meyer, director of shareholder advocacy for Mercy Investment Services, an investment fund for Roman Catholic nuns. It is leading the resolutions push, along with the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, which oversees benefits for about 700,000 retirees of the United Auto Workers.
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Investor coalition calls on 10 firms to assess their risks related to opioids
Oct 30, 2017 | Pensions & Investments
By Meaghan Kilroy
A coalition of 30 investors representing more than $1.3 trillion in assets is calling on 10 opioid distributors and manufacturers to examine how they are responding to business risks related to opioids.
“The opioid crisis has already taken many lives and is a blight on the pharmaceutical industry,” said Denise L. Nappier, Connecticut treasurer, principal fiduciary of the Hartford-based $34 billion Connecticut Retirement Plans & Trust Funds, and a member of Investors for Opioid Accountability, in a news release Monday. “It is imperative that independent board chairs and directors of companies that manufacture and distribute opioids fortify their leadership roles in protecting shareholder interests. This means addressing — and mitigating — the risks associated with reputational harm, escalating fines and mounting legal costs arising from the toll that misuse of opioids is causing nationwide. Of equal importance is the need for the companies to explore ways to strengthen their opioid risk management programs as a best practice for promoting long-term shareholder value and the well-being of the communities they rely on for business.”
Scott M. Stringer, New York City comptroller and fiduciary for the $170.6 billion New York City Retirement Systems, added:
“This is a national emergency that is devastating lives across our country. Questionable practices by pharmaceutical companies have only exacerbated the crisis, exposing those companies to legal and regulatory scrutiny as well as increased reputational risk. As a result, strong governance reforms are absolutely essential.”
The 10 companies that will receive shareholder proposals in the 2018 proxy season are McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen Corp., Depomed Inc., Endo International PLC, Insys Therapeutics Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Mylan and Pernix Therapeutics, said a spokeswoman for the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, the group’s co-organizer, in an email.
The coalition’s efforts expand on an earlier shareholder campaign for accountability at pharmaceutical companies that was launched by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the treasurers of California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virgina and at opioid distributors this year and resulted in McKesson launching an investigation into its opioid-related business practices, separating the roles of CEO and board chairman when the current CEO retires, and committing to reviewing its pay practices, which was rejected by 73% of investors in 2017 following issues with the company’s opioid distribution practices, the news release said.
Investors for Opioid Accountability was formed in July and is led by the $55 billion UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, Ann Arbor, Mich.; and Mercy Investment Services, the socially responsible asset management program for the Sisters of Mercy and its ministries. Other members include the $215.3 billion California State Teachers’ Retirement System, West Sacramento, and $13.8 billion Ohio School Employees Retirement System, Columbus.
“McKesson delivers lifesaving medicines to millions of Americans each day and is committed to maintaining — and continuously enhancing — strong programs designed to detect and prevent opioid diversion within the pharmaceutical supply chain,” a McKesson spokeswoman said in an email. “This complicated, multi-faceted public health crisis cannot be solved by any one participant. It needs to be addressed through a comprehensive approach that includes the doctors, patients, pharmacists, insurance companies, government payers (such as Medicaid and Medicare), distributors, manufacturers, law enforcement and regulators. We remain committed to engaging with all who share our dedication to acting with urgency to address this epidemic and working together to end this national crisis.”
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Richland County Children Services lawsuit sues major drug companies over opioids
Oct 31, 2017 | 3 WKYC (OH)
By Mark Caudill
Richland County Children Services has filed a lawsuit accusing several major prescription drug companies of intentionally misleading the public about the dangers of opioids to sell more painkillers as they raked in “blockbuster profits.”
The 250-page complaint, filed in Richland County Common Pleas Court, claims drug manufacturers, distributors and four out-of-state doctors unjustly enriched themselves as they acted as a criminal enterprise and conspired to break numerous Ohio laws meant to protect residents.
“We cannot allow the drug manufacturers and others to continue to make huge profits at the expense of Richland County taxpayers, families and children. It simply is not fair,” Children Services Executive Director Patty Harrelson said. “That’s what this lawsuit is about.”
The suit asks for damages likely in excess of $25,000, including compensatory damages to fairly and completely compensate the agency. It also asks for treble damages, penalties and costs; punitive damages; and additional relief the court deems proper.
“As a result of the opioid epidemic, an unbelievable number of children have lost parents or been taken from parents and put in out-of-home placement through county services, at great expense to local agencies and taxpayers,” the lawsuit claims.
Largely because of the opioid epidemic, Children Services saw the number of children entering the agency’s care double, to 81 in 2016 from 41 in 2011.
The agency also saw child placement costs jump 154 percent in the last five years — $1.4 million in 2016, compared to $567,925 in 2011. Total paid days of care jumped during the same period, to 20,595 compared to 16,113. Placement costs are expected to top $2.5 million in 2018.
Children Services spokesman Carl Hunnell said any damages awarded likely would go toward those expenses.
“Because parents who are addicted to opioids are likely to relapse — some multiple times during the recovery process — their children linger in care,” the lawsuit claims. “The length of time that children stay in custody is up 19 percent (240 days from 202).
A survey done by the Public Children Services Association of Ohio showed that half of all children taken into custody during 2015 had parental drug use as a removal factor, according to the lawsuit. Of those, over half had parents using opioids, including heroin.
“That means 28 percent of children in custody that year were victims of the epidemic, and that number has certainly risen,” the lawsuit claims. “Placing these children with (relatives), while a top priority, is complicated by the fact that opioid use can become a multi-generational family addition. Consequently, agencies must turn to foster care.”
Local taxpayers provided 37 percent of the agency’s $10 million in revenue during 2016 through property taxes. The remaining funds come largely from federal (57 percent) and state (5 percent) governments, though Ohio remains last in the country of terms of child welfare funding.
It’s similar to lawsuits filed by other counties and child welfare agencies against prescription drug companies over their roles in the current opioid epidemic sweeping the nation and directly impacting public child welfare agencies, such as RCCS.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of the state against some of the same manufacturers named in the Children Services suit.
The suit names some of the largest and most powerful companies in the pharmaceutical industry, including Purdue Pharma LP, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Cephalon, Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen Corp.
Hunnell said the lawsuit claims Oxycontin is the largest-selling opioid for Purdue Pharma. Since 2009, national sales have fluctuated from $2.4 billion to $2.9 billion a year, compared to $800 million in 2006, he said.
The suit also accuses four doctors, Robert Portenoy, Perry Fine, Lynn Webster and Scott Fisher, of downplaying the risk of prescription opioids in papers and lectures funded by the drug companies.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial. Hunnell said the suit will not cost county taxpayers any money.
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Missouri AG to Expand Investigation into Pharmaceutical Over Opioid Epidemic
Oct 30, 2017 | Missourinet (MO)
By Jason Taylor
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley will hold a press conference Tuesday, to announce a major expansion of his investigation of companies involved in the opioid epidemic.
In a statement, Hawley said “Our investigation into the companies that manufacture, market, and, now, distribute opioids is still ongoing. We will not rest until this public health crisis is put to an end and the pharmaceutical industry takes responsibility for their actions.”
Hawley made an announcement in late August that he was widening his investigation of opioid manufacturers. At the time, Hawley said he was asking seven additional companies for data concerning to their opioid marketing practices and their involvement with organizations that promote opioids.
The companies are Allergan, Depomed, Insys, Mallinckrodt, Mylan, Pfizer, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
Hawley sued three companies in June for allegedly breaking state laws by misleading doctors and consumers. He said they misrepresented the risks presented by opioids. Those companies are Endo Pharmaceuticals, Purdue Pharma, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
Missourinet will be covering Tuesday’s 1 p.m. press conference by Hawley. The Republican has been serving as Missouri’s Attorney General since January.
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Pinellas County Commission considers potential opioid litigation
Oct 30, 2017 | Tampa Bay Newspapers (FL)
By Suzette Porter
As cities and counties in Florida join others across the United States filing lawsuits against drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and even doctors to try to recoup some of the costs associated with the opioid epidemic, Pinellas County has decided to consider doing the same.
County Commissioners are expected to give the county attorney permission to put out a request for quotes for outside counsel to take on a civil lawsuit at its Oct. 31 meeting.
Commissioners discussed the matter at a meeting on Oct. 17 and during a work session on Oct. 24. Commissioners seemed open to the idea on Oct. 17, but requested more information.
County Attorney Jewel White told commissioners at both meetings that available information was based on cases that had already been filed by other local governments or states around the country. All cases remain the “pleading stage,” which is early in the process when parties formally submit their claims and defenses. No settlements or verdicts have been issued in any of the cases thus far, so it is unknown as to what Pinellas could expect as the result of filing a lawsuit.
White talked about two cases Oct. 24 that had been decided in federal court. These cases were not civil cases such as what the county might file. In May 2007, Purdue Pharma and three of its top executives plead guilty to criminal charges that they misled regulators, doctors and patients about the drug’s (OxyContin) risk of addiction. The company paid over $600 million in fines.
In July 2017, Mallinckrodt LLC, one of the largest manufacturers of generic oxycodone, agreed to settle allegations it had violated the Controlled Substance Act. The company paid a fine of $35 million for failure to report suspicious orders and record keeping violations.
White said the county had several potential causes of action that could be used to base a civil suit, including public nuisance, various state consumer protection acts, such as the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Practices Act, negligence and even the Racketeer Influences and Corrupt Organizations Act.
Potential defendants include manufactures, such as Purdue Pharma Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., Allergan PLC, Johnson & Johnson and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. Other potential defendants are distributors, such as McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health.
Also on White’s list of potential defendants are pharmacies, including CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, and doctors who have prescribed opioids.
White said manufacturers, distributors and others involved in making opioids available to the public had been deceptive by not being truthful about the additive affects or the drugs. She said they had been negligent by not taking steps to prevent widespread use of the drugs and had claimed the risk of addiction was low. She said pharmacies had not kept track of the number of prescriptions filled.
Potential damages that any monetary award could be based on are costs related to first responders and law enforcement; medical treatment and personnel; department of health, fire rescue, medical examiner and costs of prosecution and jail.
Additional damages could be based on costs related to building and maintaining treatment facilities, treatment programs for employees or the community at large, related social services, including combating a rise in homelessness due to addiction, and public education. Other damages include the effect on children who are removed from the home because their parents are addicted, which places a burden on the foster care system, and babies born addicted.
Some of the risks of filing a civil suit include the statute of limitation. White said since Pinellas had a “robust” pill mill ordinance, the courts could say that the county knew about the problem from the time the commission passed the ordinance and was “out of luck.”
However, the ordinance did seem to help some with the problem in the first couple of years, but the number of people being treated and even dying had gone back up. White said the county had thought it had solved the problem, but not now.
Other risks include sanctions, such as the courts deciding the county has filed a frivolous lawsuit.
“There is nothing frivolous about this,” said Commission Chair Janet Long, who is a strong supporter of filing the civil suit.
White said all the law firms that have contacted the county have indicated that would indemnify the county for any risk association with opioid litigation.
An outside counsel would handle the lawsuit on a contingency fee basis, meaning there would be no cost to the county unless it receives a monetary award, White said.
Outside counsel would be selected using a competitive procurement process and consider factors, such as the firm’s experience litigating complex cases, approach for handling the lawsuit, demonstration of financial ability to front the costs and fee structure.
White pointed out that by filing a civil lawsuit, the county would need to prove that the defendants had harmed the county in a certain way.
Commissioner Charlie Justice asks how much staff time might be needed to compile information on expenses the county has paid combatting the effects of opioid addiction. White said there would be “some drain” on staff time.
Commissioner Ken Welch said he supported moving forward with a civil lawsuit because of the impact of opioid addiction on the county, and agreed it would be a “big data mining project.”
“I don’t want to put undue burden on staff,” he said, adding that the effort should be “done right.”
A county task force on opioids is expected to have a report ready by the end of the year that could have information that could help show damages to the county. The consensus was to wait on that report, which also would give staff time to compile information.
Meanwhile, the county attorney’s office can start the process of putting out a request for quote from law firms. White said Hillsborough County had put out a RFQ and Pasco County is interested in doing the same and might even consider joining with Pinellas. St. Petersburg also is considering filing a lawsuit.
The consensus was to bring everything back to the commission for consideration in January.
“I want it to be done right,” Long said. “Slow it down a bit and bring it back in January, but let’s not let it sit on the backburner.”
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City of Lansing moving forward on lawsuit against opioid manufacturers, distributors
Oct 31, 2017 | Fox 47 News (MI)
By Staff
There's no question first responders should be using Narcan to save the lives of people overdosing on opioids, but it's become a significant cost for the city of Lansing:
"I wish that there was a way that I could stop the epidemic immediately," says Lansing mayor Virg Bernero. "I wish there was a way that I could help the families that are being affected so directly, but what I'm stuck with is the cost to our police and fire department."
Mayor Bernero has heard too many calls about people overdosing or being addicted to opioids, and that's why he's taking action:
"There are companies making millions of dollars in profits, while we are suffering--across the country and in Lansing--in very real terms," Bernero says.
After the city council agreed to declare the opioid epidemic a public nuisance and added law firms to the city's approved legal council on Monday night, Lansing will go forward with a lawsuit against the companies that manufacture and distribute opioids.
They say it's a way to try and recover the hefty costs of treating it.
Some people living in Lansing are skeptical, though.
Loretta Stanaway doesn't think the city will see any kind of money anytime soon.
"I think it's going to take decades to accomplish anything--if it ever does," she says.
Stanaway is worried about the money the city will spend on the lawsuit, all while continuing to pay for the costs of the opioid crisis in Lansing.
Lansing joins one of several cities filing a lawsuit like this.
We'll be following the lawsuit for you.
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Lansing moves toward suing drug companies for opioid crisis
Oct 30, 2017 | Michigan Radio (MI)
By Steve Carmody
Monday night, the Lansing city council declared the opioid crisis a public nuisance. It’s a first step toward filing a lawsuit against drug companies.
Mayor Virg Bernero has asked the city attorney to explore a possible suit to recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars Michigan’s capitol city spends annually addressing problems related to opioid addiction.
A growing number of cities and counties are weighing suing pharmaceutical makers and distributors to raise money to deal with opioid addiction.
In Michigan, Wayne and Oakland Counties have already filed suit.
Lansing may soon sign on to a national lawsuit expected to be filed early next year.
“There’s no downside to the city pursuing this because we are going to absorb the risk,” says attorney David Mittleman, “The only way we would get paid is if there’s a recovery. And the cost would come out of any recovery. And then a percentage for the lawyers.”
Mittleman compares the opioid suit compares with the Big Tobacco settlement in the 1990s, which generated more than $200 billion for 46 states to address addiction issues.
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Butler County to sue opioid makers amid heroin crisis
Oct 30, 2017 | WCPO Cincinnati (OH)
By Denise Callihan
Butler County commissioners gave the green light Monday to sue opioid manufacturers and distributors, hoping to get those entities to pay for the area’s heroin epidemic.
Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser says the county won’t be joining Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s litigation, but it will be in conjunction with what the attorney general is doing.
“I recommended this to the county commissioners because it is a program like the tobacco litigation, we don’t want to be left out,” Gmoser said. “I don’t want to see Butler County left out of an opportunity to treat people at the expense of these manufacturers and distributors. When the gong sounds and the money is paid, I don’t want Butler County not standing in line to get its fair share to provide treatment for the addicts we have here.”
The prosecutor noted if the county is unsuccessful in this lawsuit, taxpayers won’t pay for litigation because it is a civil, contingency case.
Through September, there have been 177 overdose deaths in Butler County, up from 147 during the during the same time period last year, according to the coroner’s office.
DeWine sued five drug companies in May and now wants them to settle in order to provide the finances needed for recovery efforts. So far the state has not filed lawsuits against drug distributors but DeWine Monday urged them to step forward.
Cincinnati filed a lawsuit in August against the three largest wholesale distributors of opioids, demanding the firms reimburse the city for the costs of curbing the epidemic.
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Ohio county files opioid lawsuit against drugmakers, distributors
Oct 31, 2017 | Becker's Hospital Review
By Brian Zimmerman
Officials with Cuyahoga County filed a lawsuit against multiple drugmakers, drug distributors and physicians for their alleged role in facilitating high rates of opioid overdoses in one of Ohio's most-populated counties.
From 2011 to 2016, Cuyahoga County carried a drug overdose death rate of 23.5 deaths per 100,000 population. The lawsuit claims the defendants — which include four physicians, three drug distributors and at least four drug manufacturers — facilitated opioid misuse by promoting and distributing a large amount of opioid painkillers in the area.
"Cuyahoga County has been hit terribly hard by the opioid epidemic," said Armond Budish, county executive for Cuyahoga County. "In 2016, we lost more people to this epidemic than to deaths from homicides, suicides and auto accidents combined. But it is also costing taxpayers. This year alone, we have had to bear the burden of increased costs to the Medical Examiner's office, increased costs of supplying drugs like Narcan to save victims of overdose and additional cost of children in the foster care system because of a parent's death or drug addiction."
The county seeks to recoup funds used to address the opioid crisis through the lawsuit.
In May, Ohio's Attorney General Mike DeWine filed a lawsuit against five opioid manufacturers on behalf of the state.
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Drugmaker set to profit from an opioid it said was unsafe
Oct 30, 2017 | CNN
By David Heath
It's not uncommon for drug companies to try to keep generic versions of their best-selling drugs off the market. But this is a story about a drug company that went to extraordinary lengths to do so, calling into question the safety of a drug it had sold for years. When its plan didn't work, the company made an unusual decision.
As the opioid epidemic grew, Endo Pharmaceuticals took the extraordinary step in 2012 of pulling a version of one of its best-selling painkillers off the market, saying that the narcotic was susceptible to abuse.Endo even unsuccessfully sued the US Food and Drug Administration that year to prevent the approval of any generic version of its drug, called Opana ER.
The drugmaker argued that given a chance, drug abusers would crush and snort the generic pills, just as they had with the brand-name drug. Snorting intensifies the high but heightens the chance of overdosing.It seemed as though a drug maker was taking selfless action to try to curb the growing opioid epidemic.
But some industry observers say the story of Opana ER may better illustrate the lengths a drug company would go to in order to protect its profits.Endo introduced a new formulation of Opana ER before phasing out the old one, selling two versions of the drug at the same time.
Both drugs had the same active ingredient, oxymorphone. Both were extended-release pills for long-lasting effects. Both were called Opana ER.The difference was that the new version had a few different inactive ingredients, including a hard coating that made the pills harder to pulverize.
Even so, addicts quickly learned how to cook the new painkiller and inject the liquid with a syringe.Endo contended that the new Opana ER and its hard coating deterred abuse, but this summer, the FDA disagreed.
In June, the regulatory agency concluded that the risks of new crush-resistant Opana ER outweighed its benefits and pressured Endo to stop selling it. It was the first time the FDA had taken steps to stop sales of a currently marketed opioid because of the consequences of abuse.President Trump alluded to the drug last week when declaring the opioid epidemic a public health emergency. "We're requiring that a specific opioid, which is truly evil, be taken off the market immediately," he said.
Endo agreed to halt shipments of Opana ER starting September 1. But that's not the end of the drug's story.Endo still has the patent on the original version of the drug, the one it fought to keep off the market.
The FDA's action this summer didn't impact the crushable version Endo stopped selling in 2012.So on August 8, Endo cut a deal with Impax Laboratories to split the profits of a generic version of its original drug.
Endo is now poised to make money from a drug that it said shouldn't be on the market.'It just doesn't seem right'Endo's efforts to profit from a drug that it said was susceptible to abuse raises ethical questions, in the opinion of one member of the FDA advisory committee that recently reviewed Opana ER.
"They're the ones who called it dangerous and unsafe," said Suzanne Robotti, who is also the founder of the MedShadow Foundation, a patient advocacy group. "It just doesn't seem right."Dr. Michael Carome, director of health research for the consumer group Public Citizen, was harsher in his criticism. "The pharmaceutical industry is solely driven by its desire to make profits and boost its bottom line," Carome said. "Here's a situation where the company is talking out of both sides of its mouth, depending on what will make them money."Endo defended its decision to cut the deal with Impax."
The FDA is charged with -- and makes -- the sole determination of whether pharmaceutical products are safe and effective," the company told CNN."In June 2017, the FDA requested that Endo voluntarily withdraw the formulation of Opana ER that is designed to be crush resistant due to unintended use and misuse. ...
n July 2017 the Company, after careful consideration, decided to voluntarily withdraw it from the market. In the case of the prior formulation of Opana ER, the FDA determined that the product should remain on the market."
The FDA declined to comment on why it left the generic version on the market but told CNN it is assessing the abuse patterns for that drug.History of keeping generics off the market.
Endo Pharmaceuticals has a long history of trying to keep generic versions of Opana ER off the market. Because generic drugs are so similar to their brand-name counterparts, a generic drug's maker can piggyback off the FDA approval of the brand-name drug.
The FDA approved oxymorphone as a painkiller in 1959, but the pill form was voluntarily taken off the market in 1982. Endo decided 15 years later to revive the drug as an extended-release pill. In 2006, the FDA approved Opana ER.
The extended-release pill comes in higher doses that are slowly released in the body for up to 12 hours. Opana ER is more potent than its two competitors, morphine and oxycodone, and was intended for use for moderate to severe pain for patients who needed 24-hour relief.In 2007, Impax sought FDA approval to sell a generic version of Opana ER, but Endo immediately sued for patent infringement.
The drugmakers settled in 2010, with Impax agreeing to wait until 2013 to launch its generic.But as that date drew near, Endo tried again to keep Impax from selling a generic version of Opana ER.That's when Endo decided to pull the original formulation of Opana ER off the market, saying the drug was susceptible to abuse. Endo petitioned and later sued the FDA to force the agency to declare formally that the original formulation was withdrawn for safety reasons. Doing so would keep generic drugmakers from piggybacking off the drug's FDA approval.Endo filed the FDA lawsuit only about a month before Impax was scheduled to sell the generic drug.
The drugmaker urgently sought a decision by the end of the year. But the FDA persuaded the court to dismiss the lawsuit, telling it "Endo's self-inflicted December 31 deadline is a thinly-veiled attempt to maintain its market-share and block generic competition from Impax."Opana ER was one of Endo's best-selling brand-name drugs. In 2012, net sales of the narcotic amounted to nearly $300 million, or 10% of Endo's total revenues.
Endo justified withdrawing the original version of Opana ER by telling the FDA that it saw misuse of Opana ER soar after Purdue Pharma introduced a crush-resistant version of its top-selling Oxycontin in 2010. The company cited research showing that abuse of Opana ER rose 111% from August 2010 through March 2012.Endo said it introduced a crush-resistant version of Opana ER "in recognition of increased reports of the potential for abuse and misuse" of the original formulation.
However, the FDA says Endo never told it about these safety concerns until months after it began selling the crush-resistant pill and phasing out the original one.Even when Endo announced the FDA's approval of crush-resistant Opana ER in December 2011, the company said, "It has not been established that this new formulation of Opana ER is less subject to misuse, abuse, diversion, overdose, or addiction."
In the lawsuit, the FDA asked why Endo continued to sell original Opana ER if it thought the drug was unsafe.Allowed to join the lawsuit, Impax put it more bluntly: "Contrary to its insincere concern about public safety, Endo distributed the allegedly 'dangerous' Opana ER for years, and then apparently continued distributing it for up to nine months even after obtaining approval to market (crush-resistent) Opana ER."
In 2013, the FDA ruled on Endo's petition, saying that Opana ER "was not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety and effectiveness." The ruling was based on the company's failure to present sufficient evidence that the crush-resistant version of Opana ER was less likely to be abused than the crushable version.
The decision allowed Impax to sell a generic version of Opana ER.Last year, the Federal Trade Commission sued Endo and Impax, alleging that their 2010 agreement to delay the launch of a cheaper generic until 2013 violated federal consumer laws.The FTC alleged that Endo paid Impax more than $110 million for the delay.
The federal lawsuit also alleged that Endo launched its crush-resistant pill "to protect and extend its Opana ER franchise in the face of potential generic entry."Endo settled the FTC lawsuit in January, promising not to cut any deals intended to keep generic drugs off the market. Impax is still contesting an administrative complaint from the FTC on the same allegations.
Abuse of new drug goes up
Meanwhile, the FDA decided to take a closer look at Opana ER. Over time, data from drug rehabilitation centers showed that as users learned to inject the reformulated drug, the rate of overall abuse actually increased.Opana ER is not the only opioid being abused, but medical researchers were linking its misuse to outbreaks of hepatitis C as well as a rare but deadly blood disorder affecting at least 30 people in Tennessee and North Carolina and an HIV epidemic affecting more than 200 people in southern Indiana.Opana can be bought illegally for a hefty price on the street, where the drug is sometimes called "biscuits," "O bomb" and "stop signs." Because it is so potent, addicts often split the dose with others. The high is over quickly, so addicts shoot up several times a day.
This year, an FDA advisory committee said these factors may have encouraged needle sharing and the spread of disease.Vice President Mike Pence, then governor of Indiana, reluctantly gave in to calls in 2015 for a needle exchange -- replacing used needles with sterile ones -- to stop the spread of HIV in his state linked to Opana ER abuse.In March of this year, an FDA advisory committee held two days of hearings on crush-resistant Opana ER.
The group concluded by a vote of 18-8 that the risks of the newer version of the drug outweighed its benefits.But before pulling the drug, the Pennsylvania-based drugmaker went into negotiations with Impax to settle ongoing litigation. The deal announced in August was to split the profits on generic extended-release oxymorphone for the next 11 years, starting January 1, 2018.
Endo told CNN that the deal "allows Endo to be fairly compensated for Impax's license to use Endo's valuable intellectual property in offering the product for use as intended."Last year, Impax made $72.7 million from sales of the generic drug. Endo's sales of Opana ER amounted to about $159 million last year.During a recent conference call with investors, Paul Bisaro, president and chief executive officer of Impax, said, "I think our challenge will be to make sure that patients and caregivers understand that if their patients are on oxymorphone extended-release product because they prefer that, that that product remains available."
Asked by CNN about the safety of the generic, Impax issued a statement: "Patient safety is very important to us. We believe that our product is an effective therapy for patients with chronic pain when used as directed by a physician and in accordance with the label/package instructions."
The future of oxymorphone is not entirely certain, however. In March, the FDA advisory committee was shown data that generic extended-release oxymorphone had the highest rate of abuse of all opioid pills, even among users who are snorting or injecting the drugs. The FDA told CNN it is reviewing the safety of all oxymorphone drugs.
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Missouri AG Hawley to hold press conference on opioid epidemic
Oct 30, 2017 | KFVS 12 (MO)
By Jasmine Adams
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley will hold a press conference on Tuesday, Oct. 31 on the Missouri opioid epidemic.
The conference begins at 1 p.m. at the Missouri Attorney General’s Office at 207 West High Street Jefferson City, Mo.
Hawley will announce a major expansion of his investigation of companies involved in the epidemic.
“Our investigation into the companies that manufacture, market, and now–distribute– opioids is still ongoing,” Hawley said. “We will not rest until this public-health crisis is put to an end and the pharmaceutical industry takes responsibility for their actions.”
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Trump opioid panel will recommend nationwide drug courts, tightened requirements for prescribers
Oct 30, 2017 | STAT News
By Lev Facher
President Trump’s commission on combating the opioid epidemic plans to encourage the federal government to establish drug courts in every federal judicial district, adjust reimbursement rates for addiction treatment, and streamline federal funding used by state and local governments to implement drug treatment and prevention programs, according to a draft of the panel’s final report.
Those steps are among the 53 recommendations laid out in the draft, a copy of which was obtained by STAT. The final report is set to be released on Wednesday.
The highlights:Drug courts in all federal judicial districts
As of 2015, according to the commission, less than one-third of federal judicial districts and 44 percent of U.S. counties operated drug courts, which serve as alternatives to the traditional court system and have been shown to increase engagement in addiction treatment and reduce recidivism rates. The commission will recommend the Department of Justice establish drug courts in every federal district, and that individuals with substance use disorder who violate probation terms be diverted to a drug court as opposed to prison.
Drug courts combine elements of criminal justice and addiction treatment to help those with substance use disorder avoid criminal sentencing, provided participants comply with a treatment course that can include counseling and medication-assisted treatment.Streamline federal funding opportunities
Staffers in nearly nearly every governor’s office, according to the report, expressed concern about opioid-related funding from the federal government being “fragmented.”
The commission will recommend a system for distributing federal funding that expands and mirrors the process for obtaining block grants offered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. That process should require only one application and result in states receiving at least equivalent funding while allowing them to redirect resources currently used for paperwork toward program implementation.Changes to reimbursement rates set by federal addiction treatment providers
The commission will recommend that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services review policies that incentivize the prescription of opioids over more expensive non-opioid treatments.
It will also urge the Department of Health and Human Services to review its rates to more adequately measure and cover the “true costs” of treating substance use disorder, including use of inpatient psychiatric facilities.
The report recommends lowering barriers to substance-use disorder treatment, including those that impose limits on access to any of the three forms of medication-assisted treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Separately, the report recommends increasing access to recovery coaches.Allow more emergency responders to administer naloxone
A best-practices guide issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — which oversees the federal Office of Emergency Medical Services — currently recommends that paramedics and advanced medical technicians be allowed by local communities to administer naloxone, the overdose-reversal drug. The report recommends the those guidelines be reviewed to allow emergency medical technicians to also administer the medication, and in higher doses.
Several states currently prohibit some classifications of emergency responders from administering naloxone.Tighten requirements for prescribers
The report will recommend the Drug Enforcement Administration require prescribers seeking to renew licenses to prescribe opioids first demonstrate they have participated in an education program regarding the drugs’ prescription. The report also recommends that HHS develop a “national curriculum and standard of care for opioid prescribers,” and that pharmacists receive training “on best practices to evaluate the legitimacy of opioid prescriptions.”Eliminating patient pain evaluations from surveys
The commission will recommend that CMS eliminate questions about pain levels from patient satisfaction surveys, thereby ensuring that providers are not incentivized to prescribe opioids in order to increase measured patient approval.Steps to ensure parity
The draft report says federal and state regulators should have better ways of measuring health providers’ compliance with parity laws, which require providers to provide and fund services for mental health and addiction on an equal basis to other health conditions.Media campaign
The White House, the commission will recommend, should fund and coordinate with private-sector and nonprofit groups to implement a “wide-reaching, national multi-platform media campaign addressing addiction stigma and the danger of opioids.” The report likens the effort to a similar initiative launched during the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s.
In another prevention initiative, the report recommends a collaboration between states and the Department of Education to implement student assessment programs to identify at-risk youth in middle school, high school, and college in need of treatment.
The report will also recommend implementing policies that ensure patients are adequately educated about the “risks, benefits, and alternatives of taking opioids” before receiving an opioid prescription for chronic pain.Expand compliance with the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act
The report will push the White House to endorse the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act, legislation currently before Congress that would require states receiving federal grant money to comply with regulations for PDMPs and share data with a national hub to be established by the Department of Justice.
Separately, the commission recommended integrating PDMP data with electronic health records systems, and that the DEA and the Office of National Drug Control Policy increase electronic prescribing to prevent forgery and drug diversion.Better data on overdose deaths
“We do not have sufficiently accurate data from medical examiners around the country to determine overdose deaths,” the report reads. It directs the federal government to develop forensic and toxicology procedures for use while investigating drug-related deaths.Leveraging Public Health Service personnel
The report recommends the White House deploy health care workers from the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps to administer treatment and care in areas with above-average opioid use.Bolstering research money
The director of the National Institutes of Health, Francis Collins, has acknowledged already that while he hopes the agency will continue to play a major role in addressing the drug crisis, it will be unable to significantly do so by merely redirecting some of its current funding. The commission agrees, and cited three institutes within NIH it deems worthy of increased research funding: The National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Mental Health, and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. It did not specify recommended funding levels.
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McKesson Recommends Quick Federal Action on Key Opioid Solution Ideas (PRESS RELEASE)
Oct 31, 2017 | McKesson
Today, on the heels of the President declaring the opioid crisis as a “national public health emergency,” McKesson sets forth several recommendations on areas needing quick federal action.
In a letter to the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, the company strongly recommended that the Administration consider two specific actions to reduce opioid diversion, misuse and abuse.
Prioritize a National Patient Safety Network for Safe Dispensing and Prescribing of Opioids
McKesson recommends that the Commission support the implementation of a “National Patient Safety Network” (the Network) which could identify patients whose prescription history indicates they may be at higher risk for opioid abuse or misuse. The Network would be complementary to existing state-level prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), which currently lack comprehensive, real-time information and create onerous extra next steps for clinicians – both prescribers and pharmacists.
The Network could offer real-time flags that appear directly in the pharmacists’ workflow – in the same way that they review a patient’s insurance information and co-pay amount. Under this proposal, when pharmacists receive a ‘red flag,’ they could take action by voluntarily consulting their state PDMP, calling the prescribing doctor to confirm that the prescription is legitimate and sharing information about the patient’s recent opioid activity. The two clinicians could collaboratively determine the best course of action.
The idea for a National Patient Safety Network was originally surfaced by the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) and McKesson has been part of a coalition working toward making it a reality.
In its letter, McKesson urges the Commission to recommend that the President direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use its Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) authority, to the fullest extent possible under the law, to support implementation of a National Patient Safety Network. We believe this will increase PDMP utilization in every state, promote data sharing and coordination, and ultimately save lives.
Leverage the Expertise and Experience of Pharmacists to Address the Opioid Epidemic
McKesson recommends that the Commission consider enacting policies that make it easier for pharmacists to provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and other clinical services to individuals suffering from opioid addiction. Last week, FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb called for the expanded use of MAT for opioid addiction, as a means to reduce overdoses and deaths. Pharmacists are highly skilled, medically-trained professionals that are qualified to provide MAT, which combines the use of medication with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat substance use disorders.
Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to have a comprehensive view of a patient’s health status and they see the prescriptions and diagnoses of multiple physicians. This vantage point allows pharmacists to detect potential problems of drug interactions with opioids, potential misuse and/or signs of potential abuse.
“We urge the Administration and Congress to continue to explore both the adequate funding levels, and the most innovative public and private sector-generated public policy ideas that are critical to fighting this crisis,” said Pete Slone, senior vice president of public affairs, McKesson. “McKesson stands ready to work with the Administration, the Commission, Congress, the states, and all stakeholders to implement new solutions to combat the opioid epidemic.”
This complicated, multi-faceted public health crisis cannot be solved by any one participant. It needs to be addressed through a comprehensive approach that includes the doctors, patients, pharmacists, insurance companies, government payers (such as Medicaid and Medicare), distributors, manufacturers, law enforcement and regulators.
McKesson delivers life-saving medicines to millions of Americans each day. We are committed to engaging with all who share our dedication to acting with urgency to address this epidemic and working together to end this national crisis.
About McKesson Corporation
McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 5th on the FORTUNE 500, is a global leader in healthcare supply chain management solutions, retail pharmacy, community oncology and specialty care, and healthcare information technology. McKesson partners with pharmaceutical manufacturers, providers, pharmacies, governments and other organizations in healthcare to help provide the right medicines, medical products and healthcare services to the right patients at the right time, safely and cost-effectively. United by our ICARE shared principles, our employees work every day to innovate and deliver opportunities that make our customers and partners more successful — all for the better health of patients. McKesson has been named the “Most Admired Company” in the healthcare wholesaler category by FORTUNE, a “Best Place to Work” by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, and a top military-friendly company by Military Friendly. For more information, visit mckesson.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171031005514/en/
McKesson Corporation
Kristin Hunter Chasen, 415-983-8947
Kristin.Chasen@McKesson.com -
Is Opioid Litigation the New Tobacco? Not Quite, Even if There's a Family Resemblance
Oct 30, 2017 | The National Law Journal
By Amanda Bronstad
Lawyers filing dozens of lawsuits over the opioid crisis have taken a page out of the Big Tobacco playbook—but not the whole book.
The remainder of this article is under paywall: https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/sites/nationallawjournal/2017/10/30/is-opioid-litigation-the-new-tobacco-not-quite-even-if-theres-a-family-resemblance/?cmp=share_twitter
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Good Morning Cincinnati at 9am
Oct 31, 2017 | WKRC (CBS)
By Cincinnati, OH
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389946?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263
Rough Transcript: mike dewine going after money from drug companies after blaming them for starting the opioid epidemic. ohio launched a 12 point initiative to fight the crisis. dewine sued 5 drug companies blaming them for starting the opioid crisis. he is giving them 30 days to pay for the plan. it includes more treatment, new tools for law enforcement and expanding prevention.
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Oct 31, 2017 | WXIX (FOX)
By Cincinnati, OH
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389948?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263
Rough Transcript: ohio ag mike dewine is planning to launch a new 12-point initiative to fight the state's opioid cris. the plan includes increased treatment, new tools for law enforcement, and expanded prevention. dewine blames several big pharmaceutical companies for starting the crisis. he's suing them and giving them 30 days to start settlements to help pay for the initiative. mike dewine/ ohio attorney general: "i will do everything within my power to make them do that. they created this misery. they created this destruction. and i am determined to bring them to justice, by demanding that they've funded the extensive effort needed to clean up their mess." dewine says at least 14 people in ohio are dying every day from drug overdoses.
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Oct 31, 2017 | WCPO (ABC)
By Cincinnati, OH
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389952?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263
Rough Transcript: atorney general mike dewine has new initiatives to fight the opioid crisis. crisis.- the plan: increased treatment, new tols for law enforcement, and expanding prevention.- dewine is giving pharmaceutical companies 30 days to start setlements to help pay for the initiative.
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Oct 31, 2017 | WCMH (NBC)
By Columbus, OH
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389964?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263
Rough Transcript: its been 5 months since ohio attorney general mike dewine filed lawsuits against five big drug companies. yesterday, he added more pressure... giving them 30 days to come up with ideas to pay for the opioid cris. mike dewine/ohio attorney general: "do you see them comin forward with a huge education plan that they could roll out, that helps the people in the state of ohio, helps kids from becoming addicted in the future? no you don't see them do any of this. i am going to make them do it," monica: dewine says these companies created the problem by encouraging long- term use of opiote killers. now, 14 ohioans die every day from overdose.
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Oct 31, 2017 | WTTE (FOX)
By Columbus, OH
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389972?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263
Rough Transcript: ohio attorney general mike dewine fighting opioid epidemic with a new 12 point plan. it's called recovery ohio calls for legislation to give the governor the authority to declare a public health emergency. also called for statewide database to share real some time information with law enforcement officers. increased drug education in ohio schools. the attorney general late heavy play on the pharmaceutical companies. >> what is the most infuriating part of this is they have done precious little to do anything to help you see this drug covers out working on people trying to help people who need treatment? you see them? coming forward with a huge education plan that they could rule out that helps people in the stae of ohio? helps kids from becoming addicted in the future? no. speak to one of
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Oct 31, 2017 | WLWT (NBC)
By Cincinnati, OH
Video LInk: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30389982?token=531cee05-3616-471e-9f3f-814667141263
Rough Transcript: they want the companies that sell opioids to fund his new plan to fight the opioid cris, a part of the a multi- million lawsuit. >> the people who are responsible for this are the ones who should pay for it. the drug companies should pay for this. they must be held to account. and i will do everything within my power to make them do that. colin: here's part of the plan. it includes passing legislation, allowing the governor to create a public health emergency, and give business owners incentives to hire employees in recovery. mike dewine is suing several drug companies. he's giving them a deadline. ohio will increase that pressure.
AG Mike DeWine Opioid Initiatives
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