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Opioid Litigation Daily Media Report - 11/16/17
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Phoenix to sue prescription drug makers over costs of opioid crisis
Nov 15, 2017 | The Arizona Republic (AZ)
By Jessica Boehm
Phoenix will join several other cities, such as Chicago and Indianapolis, in taking massive drug companies to court over the national opioid-addiction crisis. -
Phoenix will sue drug makers over costs to battle opioid crisis
Nov 16, 2017 | Arizona Business Journal (AZ)
By Tim Gallen
Phoenix will join other cities in suing drug makers over the cost of fighting the ongoing opioid crisis, according to The Arizona Republic. -
Nueces Co. explores suing opioid manufacturers
Nov 15, 2017 | KRISTV.com (TX)
By Greg Chandler
Nueces County Commissioners Tuesday hired two law firms to represent the county in a potential lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies who make opioid medications. -
With some apprehension, Warren County opts into opioid lawsuit
Nov 15, 2017 | The Post Star (NY)
By Don Lehman
Warren County supervisors decided Tuesday to opt in to litigation that targets makers of opioid painkillers, and they took steps to make sure a portion of the money goes to helping first responders who have responded to overdoses and other drug-related issues. -
Why Tennessee is avoiding litigation (for now) against opioid makers (EDITORIAL)
Nov 16, 2017 | Tennesean (TN)
By Herbert Slatery III
Recently President Trump declared the opioid epidemic a national public health Emergency. -
Here Are Big Pharma’s Go-To Law Firms for Opioid Marketing Defense
Nov 15, 2017 | Law.com
By Kristen Rasmussen
When 28 Wisconsin counties sued several pharmaceutical companies last week, they became among the latest government entities in a wave of litigation accusing the industry of contributing to the prescription opioid and heroin addiction epidemic gripping the country. -
Legislators decide not to join opioid lawsuit
Nov 16, 2017 | Journal & Republican (NY)
By Steve Virkler
Lewis County legislators last week handily voted down a proposal to join a class-action lawsuit against the major manufacturers of opioid drugs. -
State’s Attorney: Culture change needed to combat opioid epidemic
Nov 15, 2017 | WJBC (IL)
By Howard Packowitz
McLean County’s chief prosecutor believes a culture change is necessary to curb the community’s increasingly deadly opioid epidemic. -
Cardinal Health Launches Opioid Action Program to Support Drug Abuse Prevention and Education in Appalachia (PRESS RELEASE)
Nov 16, 2017 | Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) today launched its new Opioid Action Program, aimed at helping communities in four of the nation's hardest-hit states across Appalachia combat the opioid epidemic. The pilot program will deliver much needed front-line tools to help prevent opioid abuse and support first responders in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. -
Cardinal Health announced program to address opioid crisis
Nov 16, 2017 | The Columbus Dispatch (OH)
By Marla Rose
As Cardinal Health continues to face lawsuits over its alleged role in stoking the national opioid crisis, the company on Thursday is scheduled to announce a sweeping program in Appalachia aimed at combating drug abuse. -
North Carolina News at 5:00AM
Nov 16, 2017 | WNCN (CBS)
By Raleigh-Durham, NC
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30749970?token=ac295b9e-fda4-4d53-bde3-e62fdc54d4e6 -
CBS 5 News at 10pm
Nov 16, 2017 | KPHO (CBS)
By Phoenix, AZ
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30749979?token=ac295b9e-fda4-4d53-bde3-e62fdc54d4e6 -
Good Morning Arizona 5AM
Nov 16, 2017 | KTVK (KVTK)
By Phoenix, AZ
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30749987?token=ac295b9e-fda4-4d53-bde3-e62fdc54d4e6 -
ABC21 News at 6
Nov 15, 2017 | WPTA (ABC)
By Ft. Wayne, IN
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30750008?token=ac295b9e-fda4-4d53-bde3-e62fdc54d4e6
Phoenix, AZ Suit
Other Litigation Coverage
Commentary and FYIs
Broadcast Media Coverage
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Phoenix to sue prescription drug makers over costs of opioid crisis
Nov 15, 2017 | The Arizona Republic (AZ)
By Jessica Boehm
Phoenix will join several other cities, such as Chicago and Indianapolis, in taking massive drug companies to court over the national opioid-addiction crisis.
The City Council voted 8-0 Wednesday to take legal action against drug manufacturers and distributors to recoup some of the money the city has spent fighting the opioid epidemic.
Mayor Greg Stanton said the decision was one of the most important the council will make.
"Let's face it: The opioid epidemic is a crisis, and it's affecting all of us," he said.
Stanton and Councilwomen Thelda Williams and Debra Stark sent a letter to City Manager Ed Zuercher last week detailing how the opioid crisis has "created an incredible strain" on the city's public-safety personnel.
Stanton, Williams and Stark blame the rapid increase in opioid-related deaths across the country on pharmaceutical manufactures and distributors that launched a "fraudulent marketing campaign that minimized the risks of opioids."
"Pharmaceutical companies are making billions while people suffer and families are torn apart, while governments shoulder the burden at every level," the letter states.
They did not specify which pharmaceutical companies would the targets of the lawsuit or how much the city would seek in damages.
The city attorney will send a demand letter to the pharmaceutical companies and, if necessary, the city will hire an outside law firm to pursue litigation.
Stark was absent from Wednesday's meeting and did not vote.
More than 500 Arizonans have died a suspected opioid-related death since June 15, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
In June, Gov. Doug Ducey declared the opioid epidemic a public-health emergencyand, last month, President Donald Trump made a similar declaration for the entire country.
In their letter, Stanton, Williams and Stark detail some of the costs the city bears because of the opioid crisis:All fire department vehicles carry naloxone, a drug that can reverse an opioid overdose.Police detectives devote additional time to drug calls.Jail costs and homelessness are on the rise.
"Make no mistake: These examples barely scratch the surface of how our community has been affected," the letter states.
The mayor and council members suggested that any proceeds secured through the lawsuit be used to equip first responders with tools to respond to the opioid crisis and help addicts.
“These companies have put huge profits before telling the truth, and their behavior is directly responsible for stunning rises in opioid addiction that destroys lives, tears apart families and burdens taxpayers at every level,” Stanton said in a statement.
SEE ALSO: 4 Mohave docs prescribed 6M opioid pills in 1 year
A spokeswoman for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, an association that represents biopharmaceutical research companies, would not comment on potential litigation.
In September, PhRMA president and CEO Stephen J. Ubl announced the group would support policies limiting the opioid prescriptions to seven days for acute-pain treatment.
“Appropriate script limits, when combined with improved prescriber education and better coverage of treatment alternatives, can help ensure proper prescribing and reduce the risk of abuse. Given the scope and scale of this crisis, we believe this is the right thing to do," Ubl said in a statement.
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Phoenix will sue drug makers over costs to battle opioid crisis
Nov 16, 2017 | Arizona Business Journal (AZ)
By Tim Gallen
Phoenix will join other cities in suing drug makers over the cost of fighting the ongoing opioid crisis, according to The Arizona Republic.
The city council voted 8-0 to take drug makers and distributors to court to recoup funds spent fighting the epidemic.
Mayor Greg Stanton and Councilwomen Thelda Williams and Debra Starkbroached the subject with City Manager Ed Zuercher in a letter last week.
The trio blamed drug makers and distributors for the rapid rise in opioid-related deaths, according to The Republic.
It is unclear which pharmaceutical companies the city will target or how much Phoenix will seek in damages.
A spokesperson with the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, an association that represents biopharmaceutical research companies, would not comment on possible litigation, according to The Republic.
With the council decision, Phoenix is joining other cities including Chicago and Indianapolis in taking Big Pharma to court over the opioid crisis.
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Nueces Co. explores suing opioid manufacturers
Nov 15, 2017 | KRISTV.com (TX)
By Greg Chandler
Nueces County Commissioners Tuesday hired two law firms to represent the county in a potential lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies who make opioid medications.
“There's enough clear evidence here the pharmaceutical companies misled the public on how big an impact these drugs would have on people,” said County Commissioner Mike Pusley.
According to national law enforcement statistics Nueces County has one of Texas' highest addiction and overdose rates per capita. Commissioners believe drug companies helped create an opioid epidemic in Nueces county and nationwide, now they want to know what addiction costs the county in health care and legal fees.
“We're actually doing this on behalf of the taxpayers of Nueces County in order to protect them having to pay for all of these expenses,” said Pusley.
According to the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Houston division opioid abuse isn't as deadly in Texas as it is in other places.
“We're fortunate right now that in Texas we're not seeing the opioid overdoses they're seeing the Midwest and on the East Coast,’ said Special Agent Will Glaspy.
Many counties in other states also plan to sue drug companies. Whether these cases become part of a single federal effort remains to be seen.
“We just thought it was prudent to do this and move forward at this point,” said Pusley. “We'll see what happens when it gets to the courts.”
According to Pusley the next step is for the attorneys to start researching opioid addiction's impact on Nueces County, adding there's no timetable but things should move relatively quick.
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With some apprehension, Warren County opts into opioid lawsuit
Nov 15, 2017 | The Post Star (NY)
By Don Lehman
Warren County supervisors decided Tuesday to opt in to litigation that targets makers of opioid painkillers, and they took steps to make sure a portion of the money goes to helping first responders who have responded to overdoses and other drug-related issues.
The county board’s Finance Committee voted unanimously to hire New York City firm Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, which is handling cases against drugmakers, distributors, “big box” pharmacies and physicians in New York and around the country. The firm was one of three that solicited the county’s business.
But not everyone on the county board was enthusiastic about the litigation, questioning what good it will do to address the ongoing heroin addiction crisis.
Should the county win money from the litigation, a number of supervisors agreed that at least some of the proceeds should be put toward assistance for first responders. County leaders are currently trying to reorganize emergency medical response in some parts of the county, but are struggling with a way to pay for it.
Kevin Geraghty, Warrensburg supervisor, acting county administrator and a Warrensburg volunteer firefighter, said a percentage of whatever proceeds the county gets should go to rescue squads, police and other emergency responders who have been called out for innumerable overdoses and other drug-related calls.
“It’s a crisis. It affects a lot of people,” Geraghty said.
Horicon Supervisor Matt Simpson compared the litigation to the lawsuits against the tobacco industry, which didn’t serve to knock the cigarette makers out of business or stop people from tobacco use.
He questioned what, if any, impact it would have on the ongoing opioid addiction epidemic.
“Everybody is getting a piece of the pie, and this isn’t going to solve anything,” he said.
“I question the litigation, but I think it’s something we should do,” Hague Supervisor Edna Frasier added.
But Glens Falls 2nd Ward Supervisor Peter McDevitt said the county is clearly among the municipalities that have been “harmed” by the epidemic, and Glens Falls 5th Ward Supervisor Matt MacDonald offered the opinion that “inaction is still an action” as he advocated the county going forward.
“It is one element of trying to go after the opioid addiction problem,” said Claudia Braymer, Glens Falls 3rd Ward supervisor.
Napoli Shkolnik will only charge the county if it wins money. McDevitt suggested the county look to see if it can negotiate a lower fee than the 25 percent maximum the firm’s contract stipulates.
The firm will send representatives to the county to work with the Department of Social Services, local police and emergency responders to come up with estimated costs for response to opioid use.
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Why Tennessee is avoiding litigation (for now) against opioid makers (EDITORIAL)
Nov 16, 2017 | Tennesean (TN)
By Herbert Slatery III
Recently President Trump declared the opioid epidemic a national public health Emergency.
By now it should be clear how serious this problem is. The numbers are staggering – 91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Last year, 1,631 Tennesseans died from overdoses, the highest number recorded in state history.
CDC Data shows sales of prescription opioids in the U.S. nearly quadrupled from 1999 to 2014 with virtually no scientific evidence that the use of opioids for long term treatment of chronic pain has been effective.
Worst of all is this: According to White House data, the number of babies born drug dependent has increased 500 percent since 2000.
If you watch a video of a drug-dependent baby or see one first hand, you will never be same. I’m not.
Governor Haslam’s administration, aided by the Tennessee General Assembly’s legislative changes and recommendations, is going after this problem.
As part of the third branch of government, our office is playing a pivotal role, currently by leading a multi-state investigation that involves about 40 states.
This investigation is focused on whether drug manufacturers and distributors have engaged in unlawful practices in marketing, selling, and distributing opioids.
In September we served subpoenas on five major drug companies – Purdue, Endo, Janssen, Teva/Cephalon, and Allergan.
We have also demanded information from opioid distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson.
These companies know we are on this issue, believe me. We have their undivided attention.
So why not go ahead and sue the drug companies, some ask? Well, that’s a good question. Others have sued. We decided to take a more direct route, use our broad investigative authority to its full advantage, and avoid the inevitable delays and costs that go with litigation.
State attorneys general have the authority to serve subpoenas, obtain documents and information without many of the procedural hurdles and discovery challenges faced in any major litigation.
A meticulous investigation also ensures that, if filing a lawsuit is required, we will be more than prepared. We will sue, if and when we think it is the most effective way to reach a resolution.
There is another downside to filing a lawsuit now. While the publicity may be initially favorable, not much happens quickly after that. Once a lawsuit is filed, in a complex matter like this, we would expect a litany of delay tactics, for which our adversarial system is famous, before ever getting to the merits of the case.
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Here Are Big Pharma’s Go-To Law Firms for Opioid Marketing Defense
Nov 15, 2017 | Law.com
By Kristen Rasmussen
When 28 Wisconsin counties sued several pharmaceutical companies last week, they became among the latest government entities in a wave of litigation accusing the industry of contributing to the prescription opioid and heroin addiction epidemic gripping the country.
The remainder of this article is under paywall: https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/sites/nationallawjournal/2017/11/15/111517pharmarep/
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Legislators decide not to join opioid lawsuit
Nov 16, 2017 | Journal & Republican (NY)
By Steve Virkler
Lewis County legislators last week handily voted down a proposal to join a class-action lawsuit against the major manufacturers of opioid drugs.
Lawmakers by a 6-2 vote on Nov. 7 opposed contracting with New York City law firm Simmons, Hanly, Conroy P.C., to join planned legal proceedings against manufacturers of prescription opiates, with only Legislators Craig R. Brennan, R-Deer River, and Richard A. Chartrand, D-Lowville, in favor. Legislator Lawrence L. Dolhof, R-Lyons Falls, abstained, saying he wasn’t convinced that drug companies were the culprit and Legislator Roscoe K. “Rocky” Fawcett, R-Lyonsdale, was absent.
The firm won’t charge counties any money unless the lawsuit results in a financial settlement from the companies.
“I think it’s misplaced that we’re going after drug companies,” said Legislator Philip C. Hathway, R-Harrisville.
He suggested a more appropriate lawsuit target may be the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, since it approved and was to regulate the pain medications.
Mr. Chartrand countered that drug companies should be culpable for shipping out larger quantities of the medications to communities. Mr. Brennan spoke against the companies’ “very aggressive marketing plan” without regard to possible negative consequences and suggested a lawsuit would be “a wake-up call to the pharmaceutical companies.”
County attorney Joan E. McNichol also said it would be an opportunity to ultimately recoup some costs associated with the opioid epidemic to relieve local taxpayers.
However, Mr. Dolhof expressed concern that the legal action could end up increasing prescription drug costs, and other legislators suggested many groups, not just drug companies, should share culpability with the epidemic.
The monthly meeting was held at the Harrisville fire hall to honor Mr. Hathway, who is not running for re-election, for his service on the board. Before the meeting, legislators and other county staff toured the Viking Cives snowplow plant.
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State’s Attorney: Culture change needed to combat opioid epidemic
Nov 15, 2017 | WJBC (IL)
By Howard Packowitz
McLean County’s chief prosecutor believes a culture change is necessary to curb the community’s increasingly deadly opioid epidemic.
State’s Attorney Jason Chambers said there’s too much dependency on painkillers, but he doesn’t want to create a system in which people who really need the medicine can’t get it.
Chambers spoke with WJBC’s Sam Wood after participating in an opioid summit in Normal earlier this week.
Chambers said there been a crime surge in recent years that he can link to opioid abuse.
“When you look at the police report, you might look at it and say, well, there’s nothing here that’s drug-related. But, the reason why they’re stealing something and then pawning it was because they’re trying to get a hundred dollars cash so they can buy some pills,” Chambers said.
He said the county should not be rushed into joining a lawsuit against drug companies unless there are assurances legal action would help solve the problem.
McLean County Coroner Kathy Davis said 26 people have died in the county so far this year due to opioid overdoses, up from 16 during all of last year.
In one week recently, Davis investigated seven opioid-related deaths.
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Nov 16, 2017 | Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) today launched its new Opioid Action Program, aimed at helping communities in four of the nation's hardest-hit states across Appalachia combat the opioid epidemic. The pilot program will deliver much needed front-line tools to help prevent opioid abuse and support first responders in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia.
The Opioid Action Program has four elements, each cited by leading experts as critical to the fight to reduce opioid abuse and casualties. (Please visit www.cardinalhealth.com/opioidactionprogramand/or read Additional Details section below).
Specifically, Cardinal Health will:Purchase approximately 80,000 doses of the overdose-reversing drug, Narcan® (naloxone HCI) Nasal Spray 4mg, for distribution free-of-charge for first responders and law enforcement officials in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Significantly ramp up its existing support for successful drug 'take back' and education programs. This initiative continues the work done, for several years, through the Cardinal Health Foundation's partnership with The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, including take back events to occur in collaboration with local business and law enforcement in 13 communities across Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia where Cardinal Health has employees.
Invest $3 million to expand grants focused on youth prevention education, prescriber opioid awareness and reduction efforts and community responses to the epidemic in the four Appalachian states.
Partner with the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University to share medical school curricula that addresses opioid misuse and treatment through a collaboration with medical schools located in Appalachia and throughout the country.Cardinal Health will evaluate the success and impact of this pilot program and seek opportunities to expand it into additional states and communities. The company will actively look to partner with others willing to support programs that prevent drug addiction. The four pilot states were selected based on a combination of factors, including need around this devastating issue, proximity to Cardinal Health's headquarters in Ohio and the company's existing operational presence that will provide opportunities for engagement from Cardinal Health employees.
George Barrett, chairman and CEO of Cardinal Health, said, "Opioid addiction and abuse has harmed too many people in our home state of Ohio, across Appalachia and around the country. The men and woman of Cardinal Health are committed to being a part of the solution and we believe our Opioid Action Program will have a meaningful and positive impact. This program is intended to build on the important work we have done over the years to bring more resources to communities that need them, with a focus on known solutions that will help families and communities combat this epidemic. We look forward to partnering with other companies and organizations to leverage our commitment to help solve this complex public health crisis."
The Opioid Action Program builds on Cardinal Health's decade-long efforts to combat abuse and addiction and is designed to provide scalable solutions that the company can share with other companies and organizations. Nearly a decade ago, the Cardinal Health Foundation partnered with The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy to create the Generation Rx educational program to raise awareness and knowledge about the dangers of prescription drug misuse. Since that time, the Cardinal Health Foundation has invested millions of dollars and reached over one million people through partnerships and grants with non-profits across the country. The Opioid Action Programrepresents an important next step in combatting this tragic epidemic.
Dr. Ken Hale, Clinical Professor, Pharmacy Practice and Science, The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, said: "We have worked with the Cardinal Health Foundation to develop and expand Generation Rx and its educational materials and programming for nearly ten years. I am proud of the work we have done together to reach and educate people of all ages about the hazards of prescription drug misuse. The Opioid Action Program is a major expansion of the existing Generation Rx program and will enable our educational materials to reach even more people in communities that are fighting the opioid epidemic."
Dr. Nick Hagemeier, Associate Professor at the Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, and Research Director of ETSU's Center for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment, said: "Combining multiple evidence-based approaches, and using them simultaneously, can help turn the tide of the opioid epidemic. Cardinal Health's Opioid Action Program does just that – by expanding their work in prevention education and provider education, donating life-saving Narcan® and increasing support for community drug take-back events."
Dr. Jeff Gray, Associate Professor at the Gatton College of Pharmacy, East Tennessee State University, Adjunct Professor, Department of Community & Behavioral Health, College of Public Health and co-principal investigator on a multi-year National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) grant focused on medication storage and disposal, said: "We're proud of the work we've done with the Cardinal Health Foundation in helping develop the Generation Rx drug disposal grant program. Cardinal Health's Opioid Action Program will build upon that effort, providing increased support for drug take back events that help remove unwanted or expired medications from the home while also giving communities the opportunity to educate consumers about the importance of proper disposal."
Appendix
Additional Details about Cardinal Health's Opioid Action Program
Cardinal Health's Opioid Action Program brings new resources to Appalachian communities to help fight the opioid epidemic, building on the education and prevention work that Cardinal Health has done since 2009.The program leverages Cardinal Health's position in a complex and highly regulated supply chain, in which the company, as a pharmaceutical wholesale distributor, is responsible for safely and securely delivering medications and medical supplies of all kinds, from the manufacturers that make them to the thousands of government-authorized pharmacies that fill doctors' prescriptions for patients. The program expands Cardinal Health's longstanding education initiatives and reflects what a wide range of subject matter experts, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and the President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, have called the most needed and most effective solutions to this problem.
This initiative is rooted in Cardinal Health's goal of preventing the diversion of controlled substances to illegitimate use and investing in programs that provide communities with necessary tools to fight this epidemic. Cardinal Health operates a state-of-the-art system that uses advanced analytics, technology and on-the-ground deployment of investigators to evaluate all pharmacies, scrutinize all pharmaceutical shipments and identify, block and report to regulators suspicious orders of pain medications that do not meet strict criteria. Nearly a decade of investment in the Generation Rxinitiative through the Cardinal Health Foundation has brought prescription drug abuse prevention education and drug take back events to more than a million people nationwide, from school children to senior citizens.
The Opioid Action Program will deliver needed tools and resources to communities, students, prescribers, law enforcement and first responders on the front lines battling this epidemic. The program focuses on four key areas:
1. Distribution of Narcan® Free-of-Charge for First Responders and Law Enforcement
To help save lives in some of the nation's hardest-hit communities and provide resources to first responders, Cardinal Health has purchased nearly 80,000 doses of Narcan®, which the NASEM identified as a life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdoses, for distribution free-of-charge for first responders and law enforcement. The company will provide Narcan® to the Kentucky State Police and the Great Rivers Harm Reduction Coalition in West Virginia through a distribution program with the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy.As part of this program, Cardinal Health is inviting interested and qualified entities in any of the four states who provide Narcan® for first responders to apply to receive Narcan® free-of-charge through this online portal.
Adapt Pharma, the manufacturer of Narcan®, the only FDA-approved nasal naloxone that does not require assembly or any specialized medical training to use, is supporting Cardinal Health's effort as part of its overall push to help save the lives of those battling addiction. The NASEM and the President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis both urge expanding access to life-saving medications.1 According to the CDC, fatal opioid overdoses have quadrupled since 19992, and the Opioid Action Program will support the important work of first responders to reduce overdose deaths.
2. Student and Prescriber Education and Community Support
Experts from the CDC, NASEM and the President's Commission on the Opioid Crisis, among others, all point to overprescribing as a key driver of the opioid epidemic and to increased prescriber and public education as a critical tool to fight it.3The Cardinal Health Foundation, supporting the findings of those independent experts, is committed to building on its prevention education and opioid misuse curriculum. Through the existing Generation Rx prescription drug misuse prevention education programming, Cardinal Health is significantly expanding its work with a variety of new grant programs. Generation Rx is a partnership of the Cardinal Health Foundation and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy that focuses on prevention education, prescriber education and community collaborations. Generation Rx offers free, downloadable resources anyone can use to teach others about the dangers of prescription drug misuse. Every day, more than 1,600 young adults and about 3,100 adults aged 26 or older misuse a pain medication for the first time4, and more than a quarter of teenagers mistakenly believe that misusing and abusing prescription drugs is safer than using street drugs.5
The Cardinal Health Foundation is adding $25,000 to $35,000 grants for 30 to 50 non-profit organizations in the four pilot states to expand prevention education in K-12 schools and universities. These grants are designed to reach thousands of students in schools, after-school programming and through various youth organizations.
To further support prevention education, the Cardinal Health Foundation and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy are working with Kroger to train more than 250 pharmacists this year who will educate students in classrooms throughout Ohio, using Generation Rx open source materials. Colleen Lindholz, President of Kroger's Pharmacies & The Little Clinics (TLC), reports that in the past few months Kroger has educated more than 800 students and teachers, which supports the pharmacy's and TLC's mission of "connecting with customers on an emotional and personal level."
The Cardinal Health Foundation will also be making 20 to 30 Generation Rx grants of $25,000 to $50,000 each to healthcare institutions throughout the four pilot states. These grants will support training for prescribers working at those institutions to transform the way they help patients understand and manage their pain, with fewer opioids prescribed.
The Cardinal Health Foundation encourages all potential grantees to use the CDC's Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain in developing their applications.
As Ohio is home to Cardinal Health's headquarters as well as nearly 7,000 of the company's employees, a third grant opportunity will be available targeting hard-hit communities in Ohio. This grant opportunity is informed by the National League of Cities/National Association of Counties report A Prescription for Action – Local Leadership in Ending the Opioid Crisis6, the Drug Enforcement Agency's DEA 360 Strategy7 and the Surgeon General's report, Facing Addiction in America.8 The grants will fund community collaboratives that are working to reduce opioid addiction, overdoses and opioid-related deaths. Such collaboratives include leaders (or their representatives) from multiple sectors in the community, including healthcare, law enforcement, education, local business, service providers, government, funding organizations and/or volunteer organizations. Funded collaboratives will work on two or more specific tactics to address the opioid crisis, such as prevention education, prescriber education, implementing or expanding drug take back events, increasing access to treatment, implementing or expanding drug courts, improving outcomes for babies born addicted to opioids and/or influencing policy. The Cardinal Health Foundation expects to fund five Ohio communities with grants of $75,000 to $100,000 each.
Visit www.CardinalHealth.com/GenerationRX to learn more about Cardinal Health Foundation's Generation Rx programs and to apply for the Foundation's grant programs.
3. Supporting Drug Take Back Events
Cardinal Health will invest more resources to shine a brighter light on and emphasize the importance of drug take back events. The company will sponsor take back events in 2018 in 13 communities across the four pilot states where Cardinal Health has associates and locations. Take back events are designed to provide a safe, convenient, and anonymous way to dispose of unused or expired medications. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 54% of those who misused prescription painkillers obtained them from a friend or relative.9 The Geisinger Center for Health Research also found that only about 11% of unused medication is disposed of properly.10 The NASEM recommendations include the need for improved consumer access to convenient and year-round drug take back events, to reduce the amount of unused medications available for misuse.11Supporting drug take back events is a priority of Generation Rx. These new take back events follow Cardinal Health's partnership with Kroger in Ohio where the company has sponsored take back days in communities throughout the state in support of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
4. Medical School Training
Cardinal Health is launching a new partnership with the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University to engage other medical schools to help generate and disseminate curricula and best practices that focus on responsible prescribing of opioids to train the next generation of physicians. One goal of the program is to expand the number of physicians who receive Drug Abuse Treatment Act (DATA) waivers enabling them to prescribe treatments for opioid use disorder.12 Engaging with the medical education community about the risks associated with opioid overprescribing and sharing the CDC's new Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain13 has been recommended by experts to help reduce overprescribing in medical practice. The curricula currently in use at the Warren Alpert School will help more than 30 fourth-year medical students gain the training required to prescribe medication-assisted therapy for opioid use disorder under a first-in-the-nation program implemented in partnership with the state of Rhode Island.About Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health, Inc. is a global, integrated healthcare services and products company, providing customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories and physician offices worldwide. The company provides clinically proven medical products and pharmaceuticals and cost-effective solutions that enhance supply chain efficiency from hospital to home. Cardinal Health connects patients, providers, payers, pharmacists and manufacturers for integrated care coordination and better patient management. Because Cardinal Health helps ensure pharmacists and the consumers they serve have access to medications they need while working to help prevent prescription drug diversion, the company and its education partners created Generation Rx, a national program to help prevent the misuse of prescription medications. Cardinal Health is backed by nearly 100 years of experience, with approximately 50,000 employees in nearly 60 countries. For more information, visit cardinalhealth.com, follow @CardinalHealth on Twitter and connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/ company/cardinal-health.About the Cardinal Health Foundation
The Cardinal Health Foundation supports local, national and international programs that improve health care efficiency, effectiveness and excellence and the overall wellness of the communities where Cardinal Health, Inc.'s (NYSE:NYSE:CAH) more than 40,000 employees live and work. The Cardinal Health Foundation also offers grants to encourage community service among its employees and works through international agencies to donate much-needed medical supplies and funding to those who need them in times of disaster; because Cardinal Health, Inc. is #AllInForGood. To learn more, visit www.CardinalHealth.com/community and visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CardinalHealthFoundation. -
Cardinal Health announced program to address opioid crisis
Nov 16, 2017 | The Columbus Dispatch (OH)
By Marla Rose
As Cardinal Health continues to face lawsuits over its alleged role in stoking the national opioid crisis, the company on Thursday is scheduled to announce a sweeping program in Appalachia aimed at combating drug abuse.
Its Opioid Action Program, in cooperation with local partners in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, is being called a pilot program that could be expanded over time.
The Dublin-based company, one of the nation’s three dominant distributors of drugs made by other companies, is targeting an initial $10 million investment in the program through June 2018, the end of Cardinal’s fiscal year. The key steps Cardinal will take include:
• Buy and distribute, free of charge, approximately 80,000 doses of Narcan, also known by its generic name naloxone HC, to first responders and law enforcement officials in the target areas.
• Increase its existing support for drug-disposal and education programs, building on the Cardinal Health Foundation’s Generation Rx program in partnership with the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy.
• Devote $3 million to expand existing grants targeting youth drug-abuse prevention education, opioid awareness for prescribing physicians and related opiod-reduction efforts.
• Join with Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School to share teaching materials on opioid misuse and treatment with medical schools in Appalachia and elsewhere.
The efforts will be based in the targeted states, where Cardinal has operations. Those could include central Ohio communities including Obetz, Groveport and Zanesville, according to a spokeswoman.
“Opioid addiction and abuse has harmed too many people in our home state of Ohio, across Appalachia and around the country,” said George Barrett, chairman and CEO of Cardinal, in a statement. “This program is intended to build on the important work we have done over the years to bring more resources to communities that need them, with a focus on known solutions that will help families and communities combat this epidemic.”
Cardinal announced the broad parameters of the plan in August but has not previously released any details. Since then, the company has continued to draw fire from critics.
In the wake of multi-million dollar settlements from Cardinal and its two competitors, AmerisourceBergen and McKesson in opioid-related cases, cities and municipalities have continued to sue the distributors.
Also, last week, an investor group led by the Teamsters protested at Cardinal’s annual shareholders meeting over opioid deaths and the company’s alleged role in the crisis. And two days before that, the company announced Barrett would relinquish the CEO title at the end of the year and step down as executive chairman in November 2018. The Teamster-led group wanted the company to separate the roles of CEO and chairman.
Cardinal and its competitors also are under heightened scrutiny following an October report from 60 Minutes and the Washington Post, in which a former Drug Enforcement Administration official charged them with helping pass legislation that tied the DEA’s hands in stopping opioid diversion.
Through a trade group, the drug-distribution companies have countered that the 2016 Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act did not hamper DEA enforcement actions.
One official that has been involved with Cardinal’s anti-drug-abuse efforts in the past understands that the latest announcement may be viewed with skepticism, given the climate.
But Dr. Ken Hale, a clinical professor in OSU’s pharmacy college and co-director of its Generation Rx program with Cardinal, says he believes Cardinal and its employees have been committed for years with little fanfare to helping prevent and stem opioid abuse. As part of Generation Rx, Cardinal has given money to help pay for workers and materials devoted to the program at OSU since 2009.
“I’ve been very impressed with what they’re trying to do,” Hale said. “They’ve invested a considerable amount of funds and employees’ time to prevention efforts with us. They’ve reached millions of people, from grade school age to senior citizens.”
Hale echoed Barrett and the Healthcare Distribution Alliance industry trade group in stressing that the drug epidemic has many causes and many players who must be part of the solution.
“I’m not saying the distributors don’t have any culpability in this,” he said. “But pharmacists, health professionals, patients ... all have responsibility. To point the finger at drug distributors is misguided.”
The program certainly won’t be a cure-all for the opioid problem, which has had an outsized impact on Appalachia. In Ohio alone last year, EMS workers reportedly administered in excess of 19,500 doses of nalaxone, the anti-overdose medication Cardinal will be distributing.
More information on the program will be posted online at www.cardinalhealth.com/opioidactionprogram.
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Nov 16, 2017 | WNCN (CBS)
By Raleigh-Durham, NC
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30749970?token=ac295b9e-fda4-4d53-bde3-e62fdc54d4e6
Rough Transcript: the citizen times reports the county commissioners are filing a federal lawsuit against some of the countries top drug makers claiming drug makers and distributors are contributing to the opioid cris the lawsuit list 23 dependents including the makers of oxycontin and percocet>>>
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Nov 16, 2017 | KPHO (CBS)
By Phoenix, AZ
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30749979?token=ac295b9e-fda4-4d53-bde3-e62fdc54d4e6
Rough Transcript: the police departments are responding to more more opioid 2:53 AM-related calls than ever. with the full-blown epidemic on their hands, the city is considering suing opioid manufacturers for damages caused by this addiction. > it's a similar thing that happened to the tobacco companies back in the 1990s. >> reporter: dozens of cities and counties across the country have filed similar lawsuits and now the city of phoenix is one step closer to joing in the fight. at the fire station, 18, calls for overdoses are sometimes more common then calls for house fires. >> at least one a day. sometimes five or six. our he has 20 years experience. he said opioid -related call started to spike a few years ago. >> you see a lot of people they 2:54 AMstart out with an injury, a back injury the use of her paint then they get addicted to them than that prescription runs out and they will turned to whatever they could get.>> reporter: in the last five months, 538 people in arizona died of drug overdoses. in the same timeframe there were 2300 opioid overdoses in maricopa county alone. >> it wears on you. >> reporter: reading these trucks are expensive. they get a little over a mile to the gallon. and they are going through doses of the overdose reversing drug. the city of phoenix wants drug manufacturers to pay them back.? these drug companies knew the risk. and they lied. those lives have been destroyed. >> reporter: they voted to hire an outside company. they will send a demand letter to opioidmanufacturers. if there are no favorable responses they will consider a lawsuit. phoenix city leaders feel that they can recover some of the costs and use the money towards addiction treatment.
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Nov 16, 2017 | KTVK (KVTK)
By Phoenix, AZ
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30749987?token=ac295b9e-fda4-4d53-bde3-e62fdc54d4e6
Rough Transcript: we're in the midst of a full-blown opioid epidemic... now the city of phoenix is considering doing what many states did to tobacco companies back in the 1990's. they're thinking about suing the manufacturers . kylee cruz is in the newsroom with the city's plans... dozens of cities and counties across the country have already filed similar lawsuits. similar lawsuits. listen to this... at some phoenix fire stations... calls for overdoses are sometimes more common than calls to house fires. running fire trucks aren't cheap... they cost about a half million dollars each... and, get just a little over a mile to the gallon. firefighters are going through boxes of the overdose reversing drug... naloxone. taxpayers are stuck paying the bill! that's why the city of phoenix wants drug manufactures to pay them back... listen to these statistics... since june -- there have been 2300 possible opiod overdoses in maricopa county -- alone. during that same time frame --- more than 500 arizonas have died of drug overdose. one fire captain with 20 years experience says... opioid related calls began to spike... just a few years ago. captain kevin duzy phoenix fire station 2:42 "you'll see a lot of peopl have some type of an injury, back injury where they're using them for pain and then they get addicted to them and that prescription will run out and they'll turn to whatever they can get." city council voted to hire an outside attorney. they will first send a demand letter to opioid manufacturers. if no favorable response, they will consider a lawsuit. phoenix police want answers...
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Nov 15, 2017 | WPTA (ABC)
By Ft. Wayne, IN
Video Link: http://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/30750008?token=ac295b9e-fda4-4d53-bde3-e62fdc54d4e6
Rough Transcript: we told you a while back the city of indianapolis was planning on suing several pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors saying their actions are to blame for the city's growing opioid cris. well now they have officially filed the lawsuit. the suit claims the "dramatic increase" in prescription painkiller use was caused by the companies' deceptive marketing and their quote "failure to identify... report... and stop suspicious orders" of opioids it also accuses the companies of misleading consumers and medical providers about the risks of painkillers. as a result of this cris... the suit claims the city is forced to spend millions of dollars every year to help those affected by addiction.
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