Preview Newsletter
Opioid Litigation Daily Media Report - 12/20/17
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Michigan cities, counties' opioid lawsuit targets drug companies, pharmacies
Dec 20, 2017 | Fox News
By Amy Lieu
Nine cities and counties in Michigan have filed a lawsuit against 21 drug companies, distributors and pharmacies, accusing them of helping fuel the national opioid epidemic -- and costing taxpayers money. -
Mich. governments sue to recover costs tied to opioids
Dec 19, 2017 | Associated Press
By Staff
Cities and counties across Michigan are the latest to sue drug companies and retailers over the consequences of excessive opioid use. -
Michigan Communities Sue Drug Industry
Dec 20, 2017 | US News
By Casey Leins
Detroit and eight other cities and counties across Michigan filed lawsuits Monday evening against manufacturers, distributors and retailers of opioid medications in the state. -
Nine Michigan Municipalities Part Of Federal Lawsuit Against Opioid Manufacturers
Dec 19, 2017 | CBS Detroit (MI)
By Staff
The opioid crisis is taking lives — with over 100 Americans dying every day from an opioid overdose. Now nine Michigan municipalities are doing something about it. Several federal lawsuits are being filed against opioid manufacturers and the companies that distribute the drugs. -
Detroit and Macomb County file opioid epidemic lawsuit against drug companies, pharmacies
Dec 19, 2017 | Becker's Hospital Review
By Brian Zimmerman
Attorneys representing Detroit and Macomb County filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against multiple drugmakers, drug distributors and pharmacy chains for their alleged role in facilitating Michigan's opioid crisis, according to a report from the Detroit Free Press. -
Michigan counties file lawsuit against major drug companies
Dec 20, 2017 | Interlochen Public Radio (MI)
By Cheyna Roth & Rick Pluta
Nine cities and counties from across Michigan are taking drug companies to court. From the Upper Peninsula to Detroit, they are trying to recover many millions of dollars in costs related to the opioid crisis. -
Cities Sue Opioid Manufacturers Over A ‘Pattern Of Racketeering’
Dec 19, 2017 | The Daily Caller
By Steve Birr
Nearly a dozen cities and counties throughout Michigan are suing the largest drug manufactures in the country and their distributors over their role in hooking the state on painkillers. -
Detroit and other Michigan municipalities file suits against opioid manufacturers
Dec 19, 2017 | Jurist
By Kenneth Hall
The city of Detroit filed suit [complaint, PDF] on Monday in the United States District Court Eastern District of Michigan [official site] against a number of pharmaceutical companies in relation to the distribution of prescription opioid drugs. -
Iron County joins statewide legal effort against opioid makers
Dec 20, 2017 | Your Daily Globe (MI)
By Richard Jenkins
Iron County is joining other Wisconsin counties in filing lawsuits against the manufactures of opioid medications, after the Iron County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution to that effect Tuesday. -
E.L. joins lawsuit against 'Big Pharma,' undecided on medical pot
Dec 20, 2017 | The State News (MI)
By Marie Weidmayer
No ordinance was established for medical marijuana provisioning centers, or storefronts, at the East Lansing City Council meeting Tuesday night. -
Marquette County Commission considers opioid lawsuit resolution
| UP Matters (MI)
By James Fillmore
The Marquette County Commission is considering joining a national lawsuit that targets manufacturers and distributors of opioids. -
'It's time to hold them accountable': municipalities take legal action in opioid crisis
Dec 19, 2017 | UpNorthLive (MI)
By Mara Thompson
Michigan leaders took a big step Tuesday in fighting the opioid epidemic. -
Mid Michigan counties file federal lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies
Dec 19, 2017 | WJRT (MI)
By Mark Bullion
Saginaw and Genesee Counties in Mid Michigan have filed federal lawsuits against several pharmaceutical companies for their role in the opioid epidemic. -
Michigan communities team up against drug makers they deem responsible for opioid epidemic
Dec 20, 2017 | Click On Detroit (MI)
By Nick Monacelli
Michigan companies are teaming up and going after who they believe is responsible for America's opioid epidemic: The drug manufacturers who make the drugs. -
County takes legal aim at opioid epidemic
Dec 19, 2017 | The Sault News (MI)
By Nick Nolan
Opioid litigation was a key talking point during Monday evening’s Chippewa County Board of Commissioners meeting. -
Detroit, Macomb County sue drug companies over opioid epidemic: 'Enough is enough'
Dec 19, 2017 | Detroit Free Press (MI)
By John Wisely
Detroit and Macomb County are the latest local governmental entities to sue drugmakers for the costs of the opioid epidemic, accusing pharmaceutical companies of recklessly selling addictive pills. -
Michigan cities sue drug manufacturers, pharmacies over opioid epidemic
Dec 20, 2017 | Michigan Live (MI)
By Gus Burns
Multiple Michigan cities and counties announced a lawsuit filed against some of the largest drug makers and pharmacies in the world Tuesday, Dec. 19. -
Ohio's capital files opioid lawsuit against 25 drug companies
Dec 19, 2017 | Becker's Hospital Review
By Brian Zimmerman
Columbus is the latest Ohio municipality to take legal action against drug companies to recoup city funds expended addressing the city's opioid crisis, according to a report from ABC 6. -
County files lawsuit against opioid marketers, manufacturers and distributors
Dec 20, 2017 | Tribune Chronicle (OH)
By Renee Fox
A 270-page lawsuit against 25 entities connected to the opioid pain pill industry was filed in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court by attorneys representing Trumbull County commissioners. -
Trumbull joins other Ohio counties in suing pharmaceutical companies
Dec 20, 2017 | Vindy (OH)
By Staff
The Trumbull County commissioners, through four law firms, filed a 270-page lawsuit in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court against many of the major pharmaceutical companies, seeking financial damages for the health care and other services the county has had to provide as a result of the opiate crisis. -
Summit County Is Latest Local Government To Sue Over Opioid Crisis
Dec 19, 2017 | Ideastream (OH)
By Nick Castele
Summit County plans to take drug companies to court in the latest local government lawsuit filed over the opioid crisis. -
Champaign County Board OKs hiring law firms to sue opioid makers
Dec 20, 2017 | The News Gazette (IL)
By Tom Kacich
Champaign County Board members voted unanimously Tuesday to join other Illinois counties that have hired law firms to pursue claims against drug makers believed to be partly responsible for the nation's opioid crisis. -
Champaign County to take legal action over opioid crisis
Dec 19, 2017 | Fox Illiniois (IL)
By Jacqueline Francis
Champaign County plans to take legal action against pharmaceutical companies for their alleged role in the opioid crisis. -
Madison County files lawsuit against drug companies
Dec 20, 2017 | Herald Bulletin (IN)
By Ken De La Bastide
The Madison County commissioners are filing a lawsuit in federal court against several drug companies concerning the prescribing and distribution of opioids leading to abuse. -
Racine County joins opioid lawsuit
Dec 20, 2017 | Journal Times (WI)
By Christina Leiffring
The Racine County Board Tuesday night unanimously voted to join dozens of Wisconsin counties in a lawsuit against opioid drug manufacturers over their alleged “deceptive and fraudulent marketing of painkillers.” -
Douglas County joins suit against drug companies over opioid epidemic
Dec 20, 2017 | Live Well Nebraska (NB)
By Staff
Douglas County has joined dozens of governments across the nation who are suing drug companies over the opioid epidemic. -
County asked to join lawsuit against opioid industry
Dec 19, 2017 | Ottumwa Courier (IA)
By Mark Newman
There’s no question, said one Wapello County supervisor, that Iowa has a problem with prescription pain killers. But fighting the epidemic may work best when counties team up. -
County joins opioid lawsuit
Dec 20, 2017 | Clinton Herald (IA)
By John Rohlf
Clinton County is joining a lawsuit against opioid producers. -
Lawsuit Filed For Smith County Against Prescription Opioid Manufacturers
Dec 20, 2017 | The Chattanoogan (TN)
By Staff
Mark P. Chalos of the national plaintiffs’ law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP announces that Smith County has filed a lawsuit against prescription opioid manufacturers and distributors to recover taxpayer money spent to combat the opioid epidemic wreaking havoc on the Smith County community. -
Tennessee Counties Begin Suing Drug Companies Over Opioids
Dec 20, 2017 | WKNO (TN)
By Blake Farmer
Tennessee counties are joining the list of entities suing pharmaceutical companies over opioids. Smith County is the first to file suit in federal court. Davidson County is likely to follow after approval by the Metro Council Tuesday night. -
Nashville cleared to explore opioid lawsuit with contracting dispute now resolved
Dec 20, 2017 | The Tennesean (TN)
By Joey Garrison
After facing an unexpected setback, Mayor Megan Barry's administration is now cleared to use an outside law firm to explore a potential lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors following Metro Council action Tuesday. -
City of Greenville joins in lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies
Dec 19, 2017 | The Greenville Advocate (AL)
By Matt Hutcheson
The City of Greenville is joining the ranks of a host of cities and communities across the country that are suing pharmaceutical companies, citing the burden, both human and financial, of the companies’ aggressive marketing and distribution of opioids. -
Dothan wants its share of money likely coming because of a drug epidemic
Dec 19, 2017 | WTVY (AL)
By Alison Lorraine
Dothan is joining other local governments in lawsuits seeking its share of a likely financial settlement with opioid manufacturers. -
Some Florida counties seek restitution amid opioid crisis
Dec 19, 2017 | News 4 JAx (FL)
By Jake Stofan
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has been investigating pharmaceutical companies for their part in causing the opioid crisis since September. While the state hasn’t filed any lawsuits against the companies, some Florida counties are taking it upon themselves to seek restitution. -
Bay County chooses law firm to represent the board in the battle against opioid epidemic
Dec 20, 2017 | WJHG (FL)
By Megan Bell
Two weeks ago, Bay County Commissioners decided to join the movement of putting an end to the opioid epidemic by filing lawsuits against manufacturers of prescription opioids. -
City of Hot Springs joins lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies over opioid abuse
Dec 20, 2017 | THV 11 (AR)
By Brejamin Perkins
The opioid crisis across the nation and here in Arkansas continues to strike conversation and concern. -
Odell Signs Litigation Against Pharmaceutical Companies
Dec 20, 2017 | The Putnam County News & Recorder (NY)
By Eric Gross
Putnam County has joined an increasing list of municipalities across New York State in commencing litigation against pharmaceutical companies and distributors, who the lawmakers charge have “created the nationwide opioid epidemic.” On Monday afternoon before an audience of some three dozen consisting of county employees and volunteers, County Executive MaryEllen Odell signed the litigation at the Putnam Bureau of Emergency -
CT Unions Sue Nation's Largest Pharma Companies
Dec 20, 2017 | Connecticut Law Tribune (CT)
By Robert Storace
Four Connecticut-based union locals have sued the nation’s largest pharmaceutical companies, accusing them of misleading the public about the dangers of prescription opioids. -
Cecil County joins legal fight against opioid manufacturers
Dec 20, 2017 | Cecil Daily Whig (MD)
By Katie Tabeling
With its announcement last week that it intends to file a civil suit against opiate distributors, Cecil County has become just the latest jurisdiction to take the battle against the opioid epidemic into the courtroom. -
Pierce County joins Tacoma, others, in federal lawsuit against opioid manufacturers
Dec 19, 2017 | The News Tribune (WA)
By Sean Robinson
Add Pierce County to the growing list of local governments across the nation taking legal aim at opioid manufacturers. -
The opioid crisis is about negligence. And complicity (EDITIORIAL)
Dec 19, 2017 | Washington Post
By Robert Gebelhoff
For years, the opioid crisis was described as one of negligence. In this narrative, doctors over-prescribed pills that shouldn’t have gone to patients and pharmaceutical companies overzealously promoted medications while playing down the risks. -
France fines J&J 25 mln euros over painkiller patch
Dec 20, 2017 | Reuters
By Staff
France’s competition authority fined U.S. healthcare group Johnson & Johnson 25 million euros ($29.62 million) on Wednesday after it found the company had deliberately slowed market access to generic copies of its painkiller Durogesic. -
To fight the opioid epidemic, take drug makers to court? (EDITORIAL)
Dec 19, 2017 | Futurity
By Laurel Thomas Gnagey
Litigation against drug manufacturers that produce and distribute opioids could be a promising option in the fight against the opioid addiction crisis, according to a new article. -
Opioid Litigation: Anticipated Positive Impact on Workers' Compensation Systems
Dec 20, 2017 | Worker's Compensation.com
By Jon Gelman
The increase, in both the number of settlements and magnitude of opioid lawsuits being filed, is anticipated having a positive outcome on workers' compensation systems that have suffered the burden of opioid addiction and death in epidemic proportions. -
Combining opioid lawsuits
Dec 19, 2017 | Harlan Daily Enterprise (KY)
By Staff
Hundreds of attorneys met before a federal litigation board in St. Louis last week to discuss ways of expediting the cause and speed of justice by reducing the about 150 lawsuits filed nationwide accusing several major drug manufacturers of fueling the opioid epidemic that is threatening to destroy area communities. -
7 Action News at 7pm
Dec 19, 2017 | Detroit, MI
By WXYZ (ABC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501839?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
FOX 2 News Morning
Dec 20, 2017 | Detroit, MI
By WJBK (FOX)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501727?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
WZZM 13 Morning News
Dec 20, 2017 | Grand Rapids, MI
By WZZM (ABC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501789?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
Newschannel 3 at 5am
Dec 20, 2017 | Grand Rapids, MI
By WWMT (CBS)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501791?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
6 News at 11
Dec 19, 2017 | Lansing, MI
By WLAJ (ABC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501799?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
News 10 at 4p
Dec 19, 2017 | Lansing, MI
By WILX (NBC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31502126?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
Local 3 News at 11:00P
Dec 19, 2017 | Marquette, MI
By WJMN (CBS)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501815?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
FOX66 News at 10
Dec 19, 2017 | Flint, MI
By WSMH (FOX)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501824?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
ABC12 News at Noon
Dec 19, 2017 | Flint, MI
By WJRT (ABC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31502120?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
9/10 News at 5:00
Dec 19, 2017 | Traverse City, MI
By WWTV (CBS)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31502132?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
UpNorth Live News at 6:30pm
Dec 19, 2017 | Traverse City, MI
By WGTQ (ABC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501841?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
Good Day Illinois
Dec 20, 2017 | Champaign, IL
By WCCU (FOX)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501706?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
KIRO 7 News at 5AM
Dec 20, 2017 | Seattle, WA
By KIRO (CBS)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501712?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
Fox 6 Wake-Up News
Dec 20, 2017 | Milwaukee, WI
By WITI (FOX)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501717?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
Good Morning Charleston
Dec 20, 2017 | Charleston, SC
By WCIVDT2 (ABC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501754?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
News 18 This Morning at 6a
Dec 20, 2017 | Lafayette, IN
By WLFI (CBS)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501785?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
Eyewitness News at 5:00
Dec 19, 2017 | Charlotte, NC
By WSOC (ABC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31502139?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
NewsChannel 8 at 5:30PM
Dec 19, 2017 | Tampa, FL
By WFLA (NBC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31502111?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
NewsChannel 7 at Ten
Dec 19, 2017 | Panama City, FL
By WJHG (NBC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501819?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
News4JAX at 5:30PM
Dec 19, 2017 | Jacksonville, FL
By WJXT
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501852?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
Suncoast View
Dec 20, 2017 | Tampa, FL
By WWSB (ABC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501701?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
WAFF 48 News at 5
Dec 19, 2017 | Huntsville, AL
By WAFF (NBC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501842?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
Channel 3 News at 10pm
Dec 19, 2017 | Mobile, AL
By WEAR (ABC)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501794?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1 -
THV11 News at 6:30
Dec 19, 2017 | Little Rock, AR
By KTHV (CBS)
Video Link: https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/31501825?token=cf81d543-8def-4f82-ba25-8569f5d532c1
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Commentary and FYIs
Broadcast Media Coverage
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Michigan cities, counties' opioid lawsuit targets drug companies, pharmacies
Dec 20, 2017 | Fox News
By Amy Lieu
Nine cities and counties in Michigan have filed a lawsuit against 21 drug companies, distributors and pharmacies, accusing them of helping fuel the national opioid epidemic -- and costing taxpayers money.
The Michigan cities include Detroit, Escanaba and Lansing, and the counties include Chippewa, Delta, Genesee, Grand Traverse, Macomb and Saginaw.
Defendants include Purdue Pharma, maker of Oxycontin; Teva Pharmaceuticals, the world’s largest generic drug manufacturer; and large retail pharmacies CVS, Walgreen, Rite Aid and Costco.
The Michigan cities and counties claim the companies are not only heavily responsible for a vast number of nationwide drug overdose deaths -- nearly 53,000 in 2015 and 64,000 in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- but also the immense secondary related costs for addiction treatment, ongoing health issues and law enforcement, Michigan Live reported.
The city of Lansing’s lawsuit alleges the drug manufacturers "aggressively over-promoted highly addictive, dangerous opioid products" and funded a campaign to convince doctors and the general public that opioids could safely be used as a daily treatment for chronic pain, the Lansing State Journal reported.
It also alleges that the companies misled the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the dangers of prescription painkillers, the report said.
"I am angry, I am disgusted and I am appalled at what we've seen from the opioid industry," Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. "It is out of frustration and disgust that we take this measure."
Sales of Oxycontin, a highly addictive pain pill, have generated nearly $3 billion a year for Purdue Pharma, up significantly from the estimated $800 million a year the drug generated in 2006, Michigan Live reported.
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Mich. governments sue to recover costs tied to opioids
Dec 19, 2017 | Associated Press
By Staff
Cities and counties across Michigan are the latest to sue drug companies and retailers over the consequences of excessive opioid use.
They want the companies to reimburse local governments for the costs of responding to the crisis.
Lawsuits were filed Tuesday in federal court by Macomb County, Detroit, Genesee County, Saginaw County, Grand Traverse County, Delta County, Chippewa County, Lansing and Escanaba. Wayne and Oakland counties filed a lawsuit in October over marketing practices.
"The opioid industry has taken a page out of big tobacco's playbook," Patterson said in October when the first lawsuit was filed. "They utilized misleading information, marketing campaigns, and studies to convince the public that their product was safe. They put profits over people and now people are paying the price, some with their lives."
The joint suit with Wayne and Oakland counties alleges several drug makers intentionally misled doctors and patients about their products' appropriate uses, risks and safety while downplaying the risks of addiction.
The lawsuit seeks to stop drug companies from making further false or misleading statements about opioids and stop them from not reporting suspicious drug orders. It also seeks legal costs and damages.
Lawyers want the cases added to litigation that’s active in Ohio federal court.
Purdue Pharma, which makes OxyContin, agrees there’s an opioid abuse crisis. It supports efforts to limit the number of tablets during a first prescription.
The state says roughly 1,700 people died from opioid overdoses in Michigan in 2016, up 33 percent over 2015.
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Michigan Communities Sue Drug Industry
Dec 20, 2017 | US News
By Casey Leins
Detroit and eight other cities and counties across Michigan filed lawsuits Monday evening against manufacturers, distributors and retailers of opioid medications in the state.
A handful of other major cities have taken legal action in recent years, starting with Chicago in 2014 and now including Seattle, Indianapolis and Cincinnati. Dozens of other cities and counties, in addition to more than 10 states, have also followed suit. With more municipalities jumping on board, many are comparing the actions against pharmaceutical companies to the takedown of Big Tobacco.
The Michigan plaintiffs – which include Detroit, Lansing, Escanaba and the counties of Macomb, Genesee, Saginaw, Grand Traverse, Delta and Chippewa – claim that pharmaceutical manufacturers led a "misinformation campaign." The companies convinced doctors, the medical community and the public that opioids were safe and addiction-proof despite contradictory evidence, according to Eli Savit, senior adviser and legal counsel to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.
The plaintiffs also allege that the manufacturers, distributors and retailers failed to report and investigate suspicious opioid orders, Savit says.
By filing the lawsuit, the Michigan cities and counties seek to recuperate the costs the more than 20 defendants – which include Purdue Pharma, CVS Health Corporation, Endo International PLC and Omnicare Distribution Center – have created, instead of leaving the burden to taxpayers.
A couple of these expenses include those associated with treatment centers and additional policing. The cost of the lives lost to opioids, on the other hand, is unquantifiable, says Paul Pennock, an attorney with Weitz & Luxenberg, one of the firms representing the plaintiffs.
The pharmaceutical companies were fully aware of the crisis and continued to perpetrate it, Pennock says.
"We deny the allegations contained in this lawsuit and intend to vigorously defend the company," Endo International PLC told U.S. News in an email statement.
Endo said it is "committed to working collaboratively to develop and implement a comprehensive solution to the opioid crisis," and that the epidemic has multiple causes that are "difficult to disentangle."
The organization says it has taken multiple measures to address the crisis over the past year, including voluntarily halting opioid promotion and eliminating its product salesforce.
Pennock, on the other hand, says the defendants "watched [the crisis] happen like a trainwreck in slow motion, knowing all the while that the train was off the tracks and was going to wreck."
"Those who were perpetrating [the promotion of opioids] inside these companies should feel fortunate if the only thing that ends up happening is that their companies have to pay a very large amount of money to resolve the claims that are going to be pending against them," he says, adding that one quarter of Michigan's population is represented by the cities and counties in the lawsuit.
But Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel makes clear that the county’s lawsuit is not about the money.
"We're not trying to profit through litigation. We're trying to stop [the opioid epidemic] through litigation," he says.
Hackel adds that he thinks the drug industry had good intentions at first and was trying to figure out how to help people control pain.
"But now that there are more prescriptions than there are people in the county, wow, that's telling," he says. "How do you not see that as inappropriate? How do you not see that as, there's something wrong with the balance here, and take on some sort of responsibility for that?"
Two additional Michigan counties, Wayne and Oakland, filed a joint lawsuit against 12 pharmaceutical companies – all of which are defendants in the new lawsuits – in October.
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Nine Michigan Municipalities Part Of Federal Lawsuit Against Opioid Manufacturers
Dec 19, 2017 | CBS Detroit (MI)
By Staff
The opioid crisis is taking lives — with over 100 Americans dying every day from an opioid overdose. Now nine Michigan municipalities are doing something about it. Several federal lawsuits are being filed against opioid manufacturers and the companies that distribute the drugs.
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel was at the press conference this morning, which was held in the county’s morgue:
“I think the reason we had this here –just to make sure people understood — there’s a real issue here,” said Hackel.
In Macomb County last year, more people lost their lives to opioid or heroine overdoses than to gun violence and car accidents combined.
Attorney Mark Bernstein represents the cities. He explains what these drug companies are doing. “The first is the minimizing the perception of the addictive quality of these drugs and the second was pushing these drugs through a pipeline — a distribution pipeline — to the end user.
Medical Examiner Dr. Daniel Spitz described what happens to your body when you die from opioids.
“What you might see is someone’s lungs are very congested — there’s a lot of blood and fluid within the lungs,” said Spitz.
Macomb and Genesee Counties, Detroit and Lansing are some of the municipalities filing the lawsuits.
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Detroit and Macomb County file opioid epidemic lawsuit against drug companies, pharmacies
Dec 19, 2017 | Becker's Hospital Review
By Brian Zimmerman
Attorneys representing Detroit and Macomb County filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against multiple drugmakers, drug distributors and pharmacy chains for their alleged role in facilitating Michigan's opioid crisis, according to a report from the Detroit Free Press.
The counties of Delta and Chippewa, as well as the cities of Lansing and Escanaba, are also listed as plaintiffs in the suit. The legal action accuses the companies of engaging in the reckless sale of opioids and seeks to obtain funds to help address the crisis.
"It's not that we want to profit from litigation, we want to stop it through litigation," said Mark Hackel, Macomb County executive, according to Detroit Free Press. "Enough is enough."
In 2016, Macomb County saw a 134 percent surge in opioid-related deaths from the year prior, bringing the death total over 200.
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Michigan counties file lawsuit against major drug companies
Dec 20, 2017 | Interlochen Public Radio (MI)
By Cheyna Roth & Rick Pluta
Nine cities and counties from across Michigan are taking drug companies to court. From the Upper Peninsula to Detroit, they are trying to recover many millions of dollars in costs related to the opioid crisis.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court Monday night. It claims manufacturers, distributors and pharmacy chains misled doctors and the public about the dangers of opioids. And the legal actions also say the drug companies failed to follow safeguards that would have reduced the number of people addicted to opioids.
“This an unprecedented, coordinated effort by municipalities to deal with what is really an unprecedented crisis,” said Mark Bernstein, an attorney on the case. “The opioid crisis is the most fatal drug crisis on record in American history.”
The local governments say the opioid crisis has caused law enforcement, drug treatment, and human services costs to spiral. According to the lawsuit:
These diverse manifestations of the opioid epidemic are all rooted in a common cause: corporate malfeasance. As patients throughout the country became addicted to opioids, manufacturers, distributors and retailers of opioids similarly became addicted to the immense profits associated with the widespread consumption of opioids.
Money from the lawsuit would go towards medical care, opioid treatment, and costs associated with law enforcement. The lawsuit also asks the judge to demand the drug companies change their business practices.
“The bill for that crisis has fallen, to date, on municipalities across Michigan,” said Bernstein. “So we are fighting back, they are fighting back to get their taxpayer money back and to change the conduct of these defendants.”
Bernstein said this lawsuit could be as big as the tobacco lawsuits of the late 90’s. The lawsuit alleges the drug companies engaged in a “misinformation campaign” and it worked.
Across the country, doctors began prescribing highly addictive opioids for ailments ranging from neck pain to headaches. At the same time, in response to the aggressive marketing campaigns, public demand for opioids soared. That demand, in turn, created a cottage industry of “pill mills,” where unscrupulous doctors handed out opioid prescriptions for even the most minor (claimed) ailments, without any consideration of the drugs’ highly addictive properties.
Bernstein said he expects more cities and counties in Michigan to file similar lawsuits.
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Cities Sue Opioid Manufacturers Over A ‘Pattern Of Racketeering’
Dec 19, 2017 | The Daily Caller
By Steve Birr
Nearly a dozen cities and counties throughout Michigan are suing the largest drug manufactures in the country and their distributors over their role in hooking the state on painkillers.
The 152-page lawsuit, filed Tuesday in federal court, names Detroit, Genesee, Grand Traverse County, Macomb County, Saginaw , Delta County, Chippewa County, Lansing and Escanaba as plaintiffs and leaves the door open for additional cities and counties to join the litigation. More than 1,700 people died in Michigan from opioid-related overdoses in 2016, a 33 percent increase over the previous year, reports Michigan Live.
The lawsuit targets Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals and 21 other companies, including distributors, for their alleged role in sparking the opioid epidemic through deliberately deceptive advertising. It calls their marketing schemes a “pattern of racketeering.”
“Opioids — profligately sold to treat virtually any ailment — have destroyed the lives of countless men and women who had the misfortune of suffering from back pain, arthritis, workplace injuries and a countless array of other relatively minor and term-limited painful conditions,” the lawsuit says, according to Michigan Live. “As patients throughout the country became addicted to opioids, manufacturers, distributors and retailers of opioids similarly became addicted to the immense profits associated with the widespread consumption of opioids.”
The cities and counties hope to recoup the economic cost of the addiction crisis to their communities from the targeted drug companies. Pharmaceutical companies have previously denied any claims of wrongdoing and say they are committed to working with the government to solve the opioid epidemic.
“We are deeply troubled by the opioid crisis and we are dedicated to being part of the solution,” a spokesman for Purdue Pharma previously told The Daily Caller News Foundation in response to a lawsuit filed by the attorney general of New Jersey. “We vigorously deny these allegations and look forward to the opportunity to present our defense.”
Lawsuits are mounting against the largest drug makers in the country for their alleged complicity in sparking the opioid crisis through dishonest advertising. There are currently more than 75 cities and states suing pharmaceutical companies over the destructive addiction crisis.
President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic a “public health emergency” on Oct. 26, giving states hit hard by opioid addiction flexibility on how they direct federal resources to combat rising drug deaths.
Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of accidental death for Americans under age 50, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, claiming more than 64,000 lives in 2016.
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Detroit and other Michigan municipalities file suits against opioid manufacturers
Dec 19, 2017 | Jurist
By Kenneth Hall
The city of Detroit filed suit on Monday in the United States District Court Eastern District of Michigan [official site] against a number of pharmaceutical companies in relation to the distribution of prescription opioid drugs.
Following the lead of other states and municipalities, the 153-page complaint alleges that numerous manufactures and distributors of opioids, including Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals, McKesson, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid and Costco, have ignored the dangerous effects of the drugs in favor of profit.The opioid epidemic has led to carnage and devastation—including the loss of over 33,000 lives annually, the destruction of countless families and homes, and the incarceration of hundreds of thousands of addicts who have turned to crime in order to support their chemical addictions. The United States comprises less than 5% of the world’s population, but consumes over 80% of the world’s opioid products.
The lawsuit contends that these companies "aggressively over-promoted highly addictive, dangerous opioid products", convincing doctors and the general public that opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl, are a relatively safe daily treatment for chronic pain.
Detroit claims that the companies have created a public nuisance, violated relevant negligence standards, as well as engaging in a pattern of racketeering sufficient to invoke the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). The city is seeking both injunctive and monetary relief.
The Sam Bernstein Law Firm PLLC and Weitz and Luxembourg P.C. [official site] are currently representing Detroit in the matter. Since Detroit filed its claim yesterday, seven other Michigan municipalities have filed lawsuit of their own including the city of Lansing.
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Iron County joins statewide legal effort against opioid makers
Dec 20, 2017 | Your Daily Globe (MI)
By Richard Jenkins
Iron County is joining other Wisconsin counties in filing lawsuits against the manufactures of opioid medications, after the Iron County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution to that effect Tuesday.
The lawsuit is part of the Wisconsin Counties Association’s effort to involve as many of the state’s 72 counties as possible in legal action against the pharmaceutical companies.
“They’re trying to get all 72 counties on board, there’s right around 50 — or a little better than 50 — that are finally onboard with it,” County board chairman Joe Pinardi said after the meeting. “I passed the resolution and everything on to our corporation counsel and he went over it with a fine tooth comb and said it’s a good thing and we can get on board with it.”
The resolution cites the financial impact of providing services to residents dealing with opioid addiction as part of the basis from the lawsuit.
“(Iron County) has spent millions in unexpected and unbudgeted time and resources in its programs and services related to the opioid epidemic and (the) county is responsible for a multitude of programs and services, all of which require (the) county to expend resources generated through state and federal aid, property tax levy, fees and other permissible revenue sources,” the resolution reads. “(Iron County’s) provision of programs and services becomes more and more difficult every year because the costs associated with providing the opioid epidemic programs and services continue to rise, yet (the) county’s ability to generate revenue is limited by strict levy limit caps and stagnant or declining state and federal aid to (the) county.”
The resolution argues the money could be spent on other programs for residents if it wasn’t needed for opioid-related costs.
The county will use the law firms of von Briesen & Roper, Crueger Dickinson LLC and Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC in its lawsuit, according to the resolution, with the firms representing the county on a contingency basis — meaning they will bear the costs upfront and only be paid if the county receives “financial benefit” from the suit.
Several board members said during the meeting targeting the pharmaceutical companies was not enough or focused on the wrong part of the opioid problem.
“We’re suing the opioid manufacturers — they’re making (the drugs),” county board member Larry Youngs said. “When are we going to start suing the people that are actually writing the prescriptions out there?”
Others supported the idea of going after the manufacturers.
“This is the way they took down the tobacco companies, this is the same concept they’re going with,” county board member Scott Erickson said.
There was a general consensus that while suing the companies may not be the perfect solution, it was at least a place to start.
The resolution claims there is evidence the companies bear some liability for the nation-wide opioid epidemic.
“The National Institute for Health has identified the manufacturers of certain … opioid medications as being directly responsible for the rapid rise of the opioid epidemic by virtue of their aggressive and, according to some, unlawful and unethical marketing practices,” the resolution reads.
While Iron County’s resolution doesn’t name specific manufacturers; Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, Endo Health Solutions and various subsidiaries — along with three doctors in Utah and California — were named in lawsuits filed by other Wisconsin counties, according to an Associated Press story in November.
“We vigorously deny these allegations and look forward to the opportunity to present our defense,” Purdue Pharma said in a statement quoted by the AP that also said the company is “deeply troubled by the opioid crisis and we are dedicated to being part of the solution.”
Endo Health’s statement in the story included patient safety in its “top priorities,” which also included those with chronic pain having access to “safe and effective therapeutic options” while preventing opioid abuse.
Johnson & Johnson was quoted as having not received the initial lawsuit from the counties but called allegations made in similar lawsuits as “legally and factually unfounded.”
Purdue makes OxyContin and Dilaudid and Endo produces Percocet and Percodan — according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — while some of the other companies named in other counties’ suits make fentanyl products.
More than two dozen states, cities and counties around the county have filed lawsuits against the drug manufacturers and distributors the Journal Sentinel reported in early November.
Data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services cited by Wisconsin Public Radio shows 1,031 Wisconsin residents died in 2016 from opioid overdoses, up from 872 in 2015.
The rate of Wisconsin’s deaths from opioid overdoses has close to doubled between 2006 and 2015, the Journal Sentinel reported using department of health statistics — from 5.9 deaths per 100,000 residents to 10.7 deaths per 100,000 residents.
In other action:
—Five members of the county’s new youth advisory board were sworn in and participated in their first county meeting. The advisory boards will participate in as many of the county board’s duties as possible, although their votes won’t actually count as they aren’t elected by county residents.
—Jason Laumann, with the Northwest Regional Planning Commission, gave a presentation on the county’s Asset Based Community Development Plan — which is being completed. The board then referred the plan back to the county’s planning committee for public hearings before it will be implemented.
—The board approved obtaining a obligation note necessary for borrowing money to pay for the reconstruction of Saxon Harbor after it was destroyed in a storm last summer. The board has already approved borrowing the funds, but the new approval was necessary to get the action into the minutes before interest rates increase.
—The board approved the 2018 forestry work plan.
—The board approved purchasing a section of railroad grade in the town of Mercer for $2,500 which has an existing county trail on it.
—The board passed a resolution thanking the various legislators who helped the county acquire a state stewardship grant to help with the reconstruction of Saxon Harbor.
—The board also approved a number of end-of-year budget adjustments totaling $793,163.
—The board directed various county officials — including representatives from the sheriff’s department, zoning department and corporation counsel — to meet with a group of Kimball residents to find a solution to the noise issues caused by a property owner’s use of loud snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and other vehicles.
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E.L. joins lawsuit against 'Big Pharma,' undecided on medical pot
Dec 20, 2017 | The State News (MI)
By Marie Weidmayer
No ordinance was established for medical marijuana provisioning centers, or storefronts, at the East Lansing City Council meeting Tuesday night.
The council deferred action on Ordinance 1416 until the next council meeting on Jan. 9, 2018, citing too many unanswered questions on how to proceed.
"I think it is good to kind of wait on this, just because we have a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of things that need to be clarified," Councilmember Aaron Stephens said. "I don't think that necessarily action right now on this would be appropriate just because there are so many unknowns."
Provisioning centers will happen, it's just a matter of time, Mayor Mark Meadows said.
"I don't think this is a question of will we," Meadows said. "It's a question of more the structure of what we will do."
Regulating the number of centers in the city is an important question that does not have an answer yet, and it might not be answered by the next meeting, Meadows continued.
The provisioning centers discussion comes after the council passed an ordinance in early December allowing growers, processing, safety compliance and secure transfer facilities within city limits.
The City of East Lansing will also join a growing lawsuit against "Big Pharma" and national distributors for their role in the opioid crisis, as long as there is no cost to the city.
The lawsuit seeks to recover damages from the 21 companies named for costs inflicted on the city related to opioids, lawyer David Mittleman said.
There is no cost to the city unless a settlement is reached, Mittleman said.
"There is no cost to the City of East Lansing," Mittleman said. "We are offering our services on a contingency fee, whereby we will be paying the upfront, out-of-pocket, advanced cost. ... Only if there is a recovery for the city, deduct those costs and we would take a 30 percent contingent fee. The rest of the money would go to the city."
Once the agreement is finalized, East Lansing will join other cities and counties in the suit, including Detroit, Lansing, Macomb County and Saginaw County.
The lawsuit involves multiple firms, including Church Wyble PC and The Sam Bernstein Law Firm, Mittleman said.
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Marquette County Commission considers opioid lawsuit resolution
| UP Matters (MI)
By James Fillmore
The Marquette County Commission is considering joining a national lawsuit that targets manufacturers and distributors of opioids.
Several counties in Michigan are already involved so commissioners have to look over the resolution and decide if they want Marquette County to be, too.
The board chairman says opioids are a problem in Marquette County.
Gerry Corkin adds, "They're a problem in every county as far as increasing the cost for the various departments in dealing with a very serious problem."
Commissioners will discuss the topic again at an upcoming meeting in January.
One of the pictures attached to this article shows the complete resolution.
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'It's time to hold them accountable': municipalities take legal action in opioid crisis
Dec 19, 2017 | UpNorthLive (MI)
By Mara Thompson
Michigan leaders took a big step Tuesday in fighting the opioid epidemic.
Nine municipalities joined together and filed federal lawsuits against dozens of pharmaceutical companies. The municipalities say those companies had a part in the crisis.
“Over 64,000 people died of opioid overdoses last year in America,” Said Dr. Joneign Khaldun, director and health officer for the City of Detroit. “In Michigan, the number’s over 1,600 people last year alone. More people are dying from opioid overdoses then they are from guns and from car crashes, it's incredible.”
Grand Traverse and Chippewa Counties, along with 7 other Michigan municipalities, just filed lawsuits against several pharmaceutical companies. They join nearly 100 other communities across the country.
“I've never seen anything like this,” said attorney Paul Pennock with Weitz & Luxenberg out of New York. “If it doesn't stop, we already have a big problem, we already have what's called a crisis, if it continues I’m not sure what we'll call it.”
Several law firms are representing these municipalities, saying pharmaceutical companies are partly to blame for opioid addiction, and the ensuing issues communities now face.
“There are counties in northern Michigan that are harder hit,” said attorney Tim Smith with Smith & Johnson in Traverse City. “Looking at it from a per capita standpoint as far as the number of deaths, as far as the prescription rates.”
The hope of the lawsuit is to recover the costs spent fighting this epidemic, but also force the companies to change their policies to prevent this moving forward.
“We're sending a very clear message that Michigan is now engaged in this litigation,” said Smith. “Michigan now recognizes at the county level and the city level that the damage these companies have caused is enough. It's time to hold them accountable and recover those tax payer monies.”
Many other northern Michigan communities are considering joining the lawsuit, including Leelanau County, which its commission approved joining the lawsuit 7-0.
Purdue Pharma is one of the plaintiffs. In reaction to the lawsuit the company issued a statement saying:
“We are deeply troubled by the prescription and illicit opioid abuse crisis, and are dedicated to being part of the solution. We vigorously deny these allegations and look forward to the opportunity to present our defense."
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Mid Michigan counties file federal lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies
Dec 19, 2017 | WJRT (MI)
By Mark Bullion
Saginaw and Genesee Counties in Mid Michigan have filed federal lawsuits against several pharmaceutical companies for their role in the opioid epidemic.
We have got to stop the mass influx of opioids into this community," said Genesee County Commissioner Brenda Clack.
She, along with other commissioners from Saginaw and Genesee Counties and lawyers from several law firms announced a federal lawsuit today.
"When we think in terms of the opioids that go to our jails, to our nursing homes, a lot of people don't realize that. the kids, the physicians will say you don't have to be in pain," she said.
Attorneys representing the counties say the drug manufacturers engaged in deceptive marketing back in the 90s, which fueled the epidemic we're dealing with today.
"In many instances, manufacturers of these drugs have actually been cracked down on and criminally prosecuted by the FDA for misbranding or false promotional conduct," said Attorney Paul Novak.
And that's where attorneys say lies the problem.
"We believe that they went out and formed front groups to do indirectly what would have been illegal for them to do directly and that is promote these drugs in a deceptive manner," he said.
The counties are suing for injunctive relief.
"A way for a behavior to be stopped, an act or a practice to be stopped," said Attorney Michael Behm.
They're also suing for costs the counties have incurred.
"The burden that's on the jail, ambulance runs, medical examiners bills, several municipalities have had to institute drug courts," Behm said.
Attorneys expect many other communities across the state will join this lawsuit.
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Michigan communities team up against drug makers they deem responsible for opioid epidemic
Dec 20, 2017 | Click On Detroit (MI)
By Nick Monacelli
Michigan companies are teaming up and going after who they believe is responsible for America's opioid epidemic: The drug manufacturers who make the drugs.
In their sights are the companies behind pain pills. History has shown abuse of pain pills has led to abuse of drugs such as heroin.
A federal lawsuit demands pharmaceutical manufacturers be held responsible for such abuse and addiction. The lawsuit alleges racketeering, aggressive over-promotion, fraudulent claims and reckless production.
About 175 Americans die every day from opioid use. About 75 percent of opioid abusers began their addiction through prescription opioids since the 2000s. Those statistics are according to Macomb County officials. The county is part of nine other Michigan municipalities -- including Detroit and Lansing -- backing this lawsuit.
"In addition to the tragic loss of life, counties and cities across Michigan have sustained significant costs for providing additional medical care, rehabilitation and treatment for those suffering addiction, dependence, overdose and death; increased law enforcement and public safety personnel; and treatment, care or foster placement for minors suffering from parental addictions," a statement from the group reads.
Wayne and Oakland counties filed a similar lawsuit going after pharmaceutical companies for marketing practices.
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County takes legal aim at opioid epidemic
Dec 19, 2017 | The Sault News (MI)
By Nick Nolan
Opioid litigation was a key talking point during Monday evening’s Chippewa County Board of Commissioners meeting.
The board unanimously voted to approve outside counsel for opioid litigation on the national level. The board needed to have specialized expertise to combat manufactures and distributors of opioids and other culpable parties.
“We decided after much discussion to join a number of other municipalities in Michigan and across the United States to take action against pharmaceutical companies who quite frankly are hurting our constituents,” said Commissioner Jim Martin.
Weitz & Luxenberg PC, the Sam Bernstein Law Firm PLLC and Smith & Johnson Attorneys, PC were approved as the special counsel for the county. The agencies now give the county counsel at the local, state and national level.
“The fee for the service though, this is an important part, will only be paid if there’s a recovery,” added Martin. “It’s 30 percent of the net sum recovered. Also, we will not be paying expenses for litigation.”
Documentation from the county stated that, “the County would have local, state and national counsel to prosecute and adjust for Chippewa County’s claim for damages caused by the culpable conduct of any and all pharmaceutical manufactures, distributors of opioid analgesics and/or other culpable parties.”
“I think it’s very important that Chippewa County speaks up against something as big as this opioid crisis,” said Commissioner Conor Egan.
Opioids have created a financial burden on the county due to the cost of first responders, addiction services, rehabilitation, incarceration, healthcare and lost productivity. This is on top of the lives of county residents that have been ruined because of paid medication addiction.
“I just felt that we really have nothing to lose, and hopefully we can shake up these opioid manufactures and force them to be more responsible,” added Chairman Scott Shackleton.
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Detroit, Macomb County sue drug companies over opioid epidemic: 'Enough is enough'
Dec 19, 2017 | Detroit Free Press (MI)
By John Wisely
Detroit and Macomb County are the latest local governmental entities to sue drugmakers for the costs of the opioid epidemic, accusing pharmaceutical companies of recklessly selling addictive pills.
On Tuesday, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel announced the lawsuit, which includes the cities of Lansing and Escanaba, and Delta and Chippewa counties in the Upper Peninsula.
"It's not that we want to profit from litigation, we want to stop it through litigation," Hackel said, noting that opioid-related deaths in his county rose 134% to 202 in 2016. A similar increase this year would push the annual death toll to more than 400, more than one a day, he said.
"Enough is enough."
Duggan said the epidemic is widespread and takes a massive toll in Detroit and across the country. About 300 people died in Detroit last year from opioid abuse and related conditions.
"There is a financial burden, but there's a bigger human burden," Duggan said. "I've heard the story from so many people. A loved one goes into the hospital for a surgery or some other medical procedure and they end up with an addiction that can severely damage their life."
The two county leaders spoke inside the autopsy suite of the Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office, in front of a steel door that leads to a cooler where corpses are stored. The scent of bleach hung in the air, a reminder of where many addicts end up.
The suit targets not only large pharmaceutical companies such as Perdue, Cephalon, Teva and Endo, but also distributors like McKesson and Cardinal Health, and even drug stores like Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aide.
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Michigan cities sue drug manufacturers, pharmacies over opioid epidemic
Dec 20, 2017 | Michigan Live (MI)
By Gus Burns
Multiple Michigan cities and counties announced a lawsuit filed against some of the largest drug makers and pharmacies in the world Tuesday, Dec. 19.
They claim these companies are not only heavily responsible for the vast number of drug overdose deaths -- nearly 53,000 in 2015 and 64,000 in 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control -- but immense secondary costs related to such as addiction treatment, ongoing health issues, child care and law enforcement.
Now the Michigan communities are asking a federal judge to force the drug manufacturers and pharmacies to pay.
The lawsuit names Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of Oxycontin, several other drug makers, and large pharmacies, including CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid and Costco.
It equates the distribution systems created by the drug manufacturers and pharmacies to a "pattern of racketeering."
The 152-page lawsuit opens:
The use of highly addictive narcotic drugs such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone, fentanyl, codeine and others (hereinafter, "opioids") has become a national epidemic of chemical addiction in the United States. Across the country, Americans are addicted to prescription drugs, synthetic opioids, and heroin at levels unprecedented in U.S. history. The opioid epidemic has led to carnage and devastation--including the loss of over 33,000 lives annually, the destruction of countless families and homes, and the incarceration of hundreds of thousands of addicts who have turned to crime in order to support their chemical addictions. The United States comprises less than 5 percent of the world's population, but consumes over 80 percent of the world's opioid products.
The following cities and counties are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, but others may be added at a later date: Detroit, Genesee, Grand Traverse County, Macomb County, ,Saginaw , Delta County, Chippewa County, Lansing and Escanaba.
The lawsuit notes that opioid overdose deaths are more prevalent than deaths by firearms or motor vehicle crashes.
"Opioids -- profligately sold to treat virtually any ailment -- have destroyed the lives of countless men and women who had the misfortune of suffering from back pain, arthritis, workplace injuries and a countless array of other relatively minor and term-limited painful conditions," the lawsuit says. As patients throughout the country became addicted to opioids, manufacturers, distributors and retailers of opioids similarly became addicted to the immense profits associated with the widespread consumption of opioids. Motivated by their own bottom lines, these corporate actors looked the other way -- or worse -- as the epidemic unfolded."
Noting the increasing profits drug companies have reaped, the lawsuit cites the sales of Oxycontin, a highly addictive pain pill manufactured by Purdue Pharma, which has generated near $3 billion a year for the company, up significantly from the estimated $800 million a year the drug generated in 2006.
The lawsuit claims the targeted companies knew the potential damage of the drugs, but continuously used deceptive advertising and turned a blind eye to "suspicious orders" that included massive amounts of opioids.
The lawsuit asks the court to force the defendants to report suspicious orders of drugs, award damages for opioid-related deaths, treatment, medial and therapeutic care; as well as law enforcement costs incurred, both present and future.
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Ohio's capital files opioid lawsuit against 25 drug companies
Dec 19, 2017 | Becker's Hospital Review
By Brian Zimmerman
Columbus is the latest Ohio municipality to take legal action against drug companies to recoup city funds expended addressing the city's opioid crisis, according to a report from ABC 6.
The lawsuit, filed Dec. 15, lists 22 drugmakers and three drug distributors as defendants, accusing the companies of various transgressions that perpetuated the opioid crisis in Columbus. Allegations made in the lawsuit include the dissemination of false information about the safety of opioid medications and failing to track suspicious opioid shipments.
"This is something that every neighborhood can feel the squeeze on from the over-proliferation of opioids from the pharmaceutical industry," said Zach Klein, Columbus' incoming city attorney, according to ABC 6. "This [is] not about filling city coffers. This is about getting people the help they need to educate people about the dangers of opioid abuse."
Similar legal actions have been taken by the state of Ohio, Cleveland and Cincinnati.
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County files lawsuit against opioid marketers, manufacturers and distributors
Dec 20, 2017 | Tribune Chronicle (OH)
By Renee Fox
A 270-page lawsuit against 25 entities connected to the opioid pain pill industry was filed in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court by attorneys representing Trumbull County commissioners.
The suit, filed Monday in Judge W. Wyatt McKay’s court, targets manufacturers, marketers and distributors of opioid pain pills — including Johnson & Johnson, Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Cephalon, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen Corp.
“This case is about one thing: corporate greed. Defendants put their desire for profits above the health and well-being of (county) consumers at the cost of the plaintiff,” the suit states.
Opioid addiction has led to an increase in costs for Trumbull County’s justice system, children’s services and health care, the suit states.
The crisis of addiction to opioid-based drugs has penetrated many communities that are struggling to gain control of the issue, while others like the defendants have profited, said Frank Gallucci, with Plevin & Gallucci Co. He is one of several attorneys from several law firms involved in the suit and in the same group of attorneys that have filed similar suits in other states and other Ohio common pleas courts, including in Cuyahoga County.
The suit claims the defendants knew for years that prolonged use of opioids reduces their effectiveness, leading to higher doses, which increases the risk of addiction. The defendants knew of studies that showed the pills shouldn’t be used for more than 90 days and should have been given to people in managed settings for acute pain, not chronic pain in a hospital, to reduce the risk of addiction, the suit states.
But, “in order to expand the market for opioids and realize blockbuster profits, defendants needed to create a sea change in the medical and public perception that would permit the use of opioids not just for acute and palliative care, but also for long periods of time to treat more common aches and pains — like lower back pain, arthritis and headaches,” the suit states.
Using a “sophisticated and highly deceptive and unfair marketing campaign” in the late 1990s and 2000s, the defendants got the medical community on board with long-term opioid prescriptions by misleading doctors with materials that lied about the risks and benefits of long-term opioid use, the suit states.
“It was the defendants’ marketing — and not any medical breakthrough — that rationalized prescribing opioids for chronic pain and and opened the floodgates of opioid use and abuse. The result has been catastrophic,” the suit states.
The efforts led to an addiction crisis that has cost Trumbull County an “exorbitant” amount of money over the years, the suit states, and set the stage for a roaring street drug addiction to heroin and its synthetic cousins to take hold.
The funds the lawsuit could generate could go to support the increased costs some county departments have dealt with because of the number of people addicted in Trumbull County, which is seventh in the state for accidental drug overdose rates.
“For too long, these manufacturers and distributors of opioid pain medications have really promoted and touted them without properly explaining the dangers of those pain medications, which as we know now, leads to addiction and overdose deaths. I think the onus is on us to hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable for the families that have lost people, and those who have gone through the scourge of addiction,” Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa said. “These medications were glamorized and promoted without accountability and we hope that not only can we get reimbursed on services that have cost the taxpayers money, but hold them accountable as well.”
The Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board, the Trumbull County Coroner’s Office, drug task forces, courts, the jail and children services are some of the departments that face the crisis every day and could stand to benefit from any extra cash the suit might generate.
The suit seeks a jury trial and accuses the defendants of fraud, racketeering, refusing to heed warnings from the Drug Enforcement Agency, negligence, corrupt practices, creating a public nuisance and abuse of their positions and licenses to make money.
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Trumbull joins other Ohio counties in suing pharmaceutical companies
Dec 20, 2017 | Vindy (OH)
By Staff
The Trumbull County commissioners, through four law firms, filed a 270-page lawsuit in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court against many of the major pharmaceutical companies, seeking financial damages for the health care and other services the county has had to provide as a result of the opiate crisis.
“This case is about one thing: corporate greed,” the suit says. “Defendants put their desire for profits above the health and well being of the County of Trumbull consumers at the cost of” Trumbull County, the suit says.
Attorneys from the four firms gave a presentation at a recent commissioners meeting about the lawsuit, saying there would be no cost to the county to file the suit, but the county will recover damages if the suit is successful.
Lead attorneys Plevin & Gallucci of Cleveland filed a similar suits elsewhere in Ohio, including on behalf of Cuyahoga County in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court in October.
Among the pharmaceutical companies named as defendants are Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Cephalon, Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceutica.
On its web site, Purdue Pharma said, “Our industry and our company have and will continue to take meaningful action to reduce opioid abuse. We focused our talented research scientists and applied our innovative thinking to making opioids with abuse-deterrent
properties, making them harder to crush and, therefore, harder to be abused by snorting or injection. With this investment, we pioneered
the pharmaceutical industry’s movement toward developing opioids with abuse-deterrent properties when we were the first to receive FDA approval.”
The suit says Trumbull County pays for many healthcare services for the poor and also spends a great deal on law enforcement to combat the opioid epidemic that the suit blames on the defendants.
The suit says the defendants “knew that opioids were effective treatments for short-term post-surgical and trauma-related pain” and for end-of-life care. “Yet they also knew — and had known for years — that opioids were addictive and subject to abuse, particularly when used long-term for chronic non-cancer pain ... and should not be used except as a last resort.”
The suits says the defendants, “through a sophisticated and highly deceptive and unfair marketing campaign that began in the late 1990s, deepened around 2006, and continues to the present, set out to, and did, reverse the popular and medical understanding of opioids.
“Chronic opioid therapy — the prescribing of opioids to treat chronic pain — is now commonplace.”
The lawsuit notes that Trumbull County has been especially hard hit by the opioid epidemic with a death rate from overdoses at 34.2 per 100,000 population, “which is one of the highest rates in Ohio.”
The epidemic has increased costs at the county jail, increased the number of children entering custody at Trumbull County Children Services and increased the number of county 911 calls from 14,000 in in 2016 to more than 17,500 this year, the suit says.
The suit seeks an unspecified amount of monetary and punitive damages from the pharmaceutical companies.
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Summit County Is Latest Local Government To Sue Over Opioid Crisis
Dec 19, 2017 | Ideastream (OH)
By Nick Castele
Summit County plans to take drug companies to court in the latest local government lawsuit filed over the opioid crisis.
Officials in Summit County have scheduled a news conference Thursday morning to announce the suit. This case will be filed in county common pleas court.
Suits by Cuyahoga County and other local and state governments nationwide have been consolidated into a federal case in the Northern District of Ohio, overseen by a judge based in Cleveland.
Cuyahoga County accuses pharmaceutical companies of deceptively marketing painkillers, leading to increased local costs for addiction treatment and other services.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is pursuing a similar suit in Ross County. Several defendants, including Purdue Pharma, have asked a judge to dismiss that case.
In an emailed statement, John Puskar, a Purdue spokesman, denied the allegations in the federal case.
“We are deeply troubled by the prescription and illicit opioid abuse crisis,” the statement reads, “and are dedicated to being part of the solution.”
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Champaign County Board OKs hiring law firms to sue opioid makers
Dec 20, 2017 | The News Gazette (IL)
By Tom Kacich
Champaign County Board members voted unanimously Tuesday to join other Illinois counties that have hired law firms to pursue claims against drug makers believed to be partly responsible for the nation's opioid crisis.
The 21-0 vote came without debate.
Under the agreement, three Illinois law firms will split 25 percent of the gross amount recovered on behalf of the county.
Attorney Brian Bradley of the Champaign firm of Koester and Bradley, one of the firms the county hired, said the abuse of opioids "is putting financial strain and pressure" on the county.
"What we're going to do is bring in teams of economic experts to actually figure out and put a dollar amount on these. It's not going to be easy," he said.
Bradley's appearance came on the same night that the board approved a $23,000 budget amendment for the county coroner's office to handle increased toxicology and autopsy costs associated in part with opioid deaths.
He said lawsuits would be filed by the consortium "in the next couple of weeks," and plaintiffs would include not only Champaign County but also Piatt, Kane, DeKalb and Cook counties.
"We're going to file an individual lawsuit on behalf of the county in Champaign County, and we're going to find the best venue to pursue that," he said. "It may be here; it may be Cook County. We're going to find the best place to pursue these actions."
Bradley said the firms are "optimistic there will be a significant recovery at the end of the day for the county to get back some of the money that was lost. But we're also pushing for injunctive relief, where we want them to change what they're doing."
Bradley said pharmaceutical companies should have to "step up and help with treatment on an ongoing basis."
"I don't want folks to think that we're just going to get a check and then go away," he said. "This is deeper than that. It's going to be a long-term push to find a solution."
Meanwhile, the board deferred action until January on two items related to the county-owned nursing home.
One was to renew $500,000 in loans from the county's general corporate fund to the home. The original terms said they had to be repaid by Dec. 31.
The second item calls for the issuance of more than $1 million in tax-anticipation warrants —essentially short-term loans to be repaid with property-tax revenue in the spring — to help the nursing home's cash-flow problems.
Champaign Republican Jim McGuire said he asked for the deferral on the nursing home issues because "we just need more time to accomplish some things. There is a lot going on in the background, and we just weren't ready tonight."
"We're discussing things and working together to get some things accomplished," McGuire said. "Some financial issues have come up, and we're just waiting to see what happens. We're trying to settle things down. We're getting there, but we're not there yet, so in January we hope to get some things accomplished."
Board members also approved, 19-1, the county's participation in an application to establish a land bank that advocates say would be a more efficient way of acquiring blighted properties and redeveloping them. The village of Rantoul is the lead agency in the application to the Illinois Housing Development Authority, along with the cities of Champaign and Urbana and the county. One goal of the land bank, said county zoning director John Hall, is to make the agency self-sustaining.
Also Tuesday night, the board approved the appointments of Richard Barnes of Urbana to the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District board; Susan Fowler and Thom Moore, both of Champaign, to the county mental health board; and county board Republican Diane Michaels of Rantoul as the new county auditor, effective Jan. 1. She succeeds John Farney, who will become the county treasurer, replacing Dan Welch, who is retiring after 19 years in that position.
Also, the board named a five-person committee to review the upcoming transition to a county-executive form of government. Champaign County will elect a partisan county executive next November, and the powerful position will become effective in December 2018. Appointed to the committee were Democrats C. Pius Weibel, Kyle Patterson and Steve Summers, and Republicans Jim Goss and McGuire.
Board member James Tinsley, an Urbana Democrat, was absent from Tuesday's meeting.
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Champaign County to take legal action over opioid crisis
Dec 19, 2017 | Fox Illiniois (IL)
By Jacqueline Francis
Champaign County plans to take legal action against pharmaceutical companies for their alleged role in the opioid crisis.
On Tuesday night, the County Board voted to hire three law firms that will file a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies on behalf of Champaign County.
In doing so, the county hopes to hold drug companies accountable and be granted the money the county has already spent fighting the opioid crisis.
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Madison County files lawsuit against drug companies
Dec 20, 2017 | Herald Bulletin (IN)
By Ken De La Bastide
The Madison County commissioners are filing a lawsuit in federal court against several drug companies concerning the prescribing and distribution of opioids leading to abuse.
The commissioners on Tuesday approved a contract with the Indianapolis law firm of Cohen & Malad to represent the county and the cities of Alexandria and Elwood in the lawsuit. The city of Anderson is not included.
Anderson Mayor Thomas Broderick Jr. said he has been approached by two different law firms and has researched the lawsuits that have been filed.
"At this point I've decided not to get Anderson involved in a prolonged lawsuit that will be very expensive," he said. "I know the law firms will work on a contingency basis, but the amount of data that would be required to bolster discovery will take thousands of man-hours.
"It doesn't make a lot of sense to get Anderson involved," Broderick continued. "If the state of Indiana becomes involved and is successful there would be money available for local units of government."
County attorney Jeff Graham said similar opioid litigation lawsuits have been filed across the country, including suits filed by Indianapolis, Bloomington and several Indiana counties.
“This mirrors the lawsuit filed by Indianapolis,” Graham said.
The Indianapolis lawsuit contends that the "dramatic increase" in painkiller use in Indianapolis was caused by the companies' deceptive marketing and their "failure to identify, report and stop suspicious orders" of opioids, The Associated Press reported in November. It also alleges the companies misled consumers and medical providers about the risks of painkillers.
Because of the high risk of addiction to opioids such as OxyContin, they should be used only for short-term needs after surgery or trauma and end-of-life care, the suit says, arguing that the companies did not market them as such and thereby created a false sense of safety for the products.
Purdue Pharma, Teva, Janssen, Endo, Allergan, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health are among the named defendants.
Several of the drug companies have denied any wrongdoing.
The lawsuit is seeking treble damages to cover the cost of treatment programs, care for infants born with opioid addictions and law enforcement costs.
Graham said the county’s lawsuit is a separate action and not part of a class-action lawsuit.
He said the lawsuit names several drug companies and distributors but doesn’t include doctors.
“The complaint is that deceptive practices led to the opioid addiction problem, which is costing the county,” Graham said.
Graham said there are no upfront costs to Madison County. He said, under the contract, Cohen & Malad would receive 33 percent of any settlement and Madison County would receive 67 percent.
“This is a novel type of lawsuit,” Graham said. “The closest to it would be the lawsuit filed against the tobacco companies.”
The lawsuit would allow local units of government to better target local problems with the funding through a settlement, he said.
Commissioner John Richwine said hiring Cohen & Malad would better serve the county’s interests than through a local firm.
“It would be a more adequate settlement,” Richwine said. “We’re facing a huge problem caused by practices that should never have been put in place.”
Commissioner Steffanie Owens said the opioid problem is impacting babies that are being born with addictions.
“We want to make sure the money goes toward treatment and education programs,” she said.
How any settlement funds could be used has not been determined, Graham said.
“Manufacturer Defendants knew that, with prolonged use, the effectiveness of opioids wanes, requiring increases in doses to achieve pain relief and increasing the risk of significant side effects and addiction,” the lawsuit reads. “Manufacturer Defendants knew that controlled studies of the safety and efficacy of opioids were limited to short-term use in managed settings (e.g., hospitals) where the risk of addiction and other adverse outcomes was minimized.
“To date, there have been no long-term studies demonstrating the safety and efficacy of opioids for long-term use,” the lawsuit continues.
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Racine County joins opioid lawsuit
Dec 20, 2017 | Journal Times (WI)
By Christina Leiffring
The Racine County Board Tuesday night unanimously voted to join dozens of Wisconsin counties in a lawsuit against opioid drug manufacturers over their alleged “deceptive and fraudulent marketing of painkillers.”
The suit specifically names Purdue Pharma (the maker of the painkiller Oxycontin), Johnson & Johnson, Endo Health Solutions, their subsidiaries and individual physicians as defendants. At least 10 states have filed similar lawsuits.
“The basic premise of this suit is that the manufacturers deceived the public by omitting and/or misrepresenting critical information about opioids’ addictive qualities and other risks associated with prolonged use,” said Racine County Corporation Counsel Michael Lanzdorf. “It also alleges they misrepresented the benefits and superiority of opioids all in the strategy to increase profit margins.”
County Supervisor Monte Osterman of Racine called the resolution “one of the most important statements we could be making.”
“This falls right in our county executive’s wheelhouse for trying to improve the mental health of all of Racine County,” he said.
In a press release issued Tuesday night, County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said the lawsuit is about accountability.
“By filing this lawsuit, Racing County seeks to hold these companies accountable for their role in the scourge that’s infiltrated our community,” he said. “Opioid addiction has caused incredible damage for families across Racine County and county resources are stretched thin trying to address this devastating crisis.”
Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling was quoted in the release as saying the lawsuit would hold these companies responsible for the crisis his office is facing.
“The Sheriff’s Office sees firsthand how the opioid epidemic impacts our community on a nearly everyday basis,” Schmaling said. “The manufacturers of these highly addictive medications have played a significant part in the epidemic and this lawsuit is an important step toward holding them responsible.”At least 35 dead
According to the release, the Racine County Medical Examiner’s Office reported 35 confirmed deaths related to drug overdoses in 2017 as of Tuesday with another six pending cases that are likely overdoses. Medical Examiner Michael Payne said if the plaintiffs win, it could provide valuable resources for the fight against opioid addiction.
“We will never be able to bring back those who lost their lives because of this epidemic,” said Payne. “The lawsuit is one way for the county to not only recoup some of the money expended in battling this epidemic but stem the tide in our fight and, ultimately, save lives.”
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Douglas County joins suit against drug companies over opioid epidemic
Dec 20, 2017 | Live Well Nebraska (NB)
By Staff
Douglas County has joined dozens of governments across the nation who are suing drug companies over the opioid epidemic.
The County Board unanimously agreed Tuesday to contract with outside law firms for a federal lawsuit against distributors of prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone.
The contract with a Florida firm and the Abboud Law Firm of Omaha is on a contingency basis, meaning the lawyers will be paid only if they win.
The attorneys will receive 30 percent of any money awarded to Douglas County or the attorneys’ fees ordered by a judge, whichever is greater, according to the proposed contract. The county would receive the rest.
The agreement approved Tuesday was amended to make it clear that the county would not be expected to pay any legal fees if the lawsuit doesn’t succeed.
Numerous counties and cities and a handful of states have filed such lawsuits. Generally they claim that drugmakers and distributors used deceptive marketing practices and failed to warn doctors how addictive the painkillers are.
The lawsuits seek to recover costs associated with public health care, law enforcement and jail expenses.
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County asked to join lawsuit against opioid industry
Dec 19, 2017 | Ottumwa Courier (IA)
By Mark Newman
There’s no question, said one Wapello County supervisor, that Iowa has a problem with prescription pain killers. But fighting the epidemic may work best when counties team up.
Supervisor Jerry Parker is part of a multi-county committee discussing action to reduce the dangers of opioids. Now, that organization is talking about taking their grievance to the next level.
“They’ve given us a few weeks to decide if we want to be part of a [class-action] lawsuit,” said Parker.
He explained later that this is something happening nationwide. In this state, he said, we’re all part of ISAC, Iowa’s State Organization of Counties.
“ISAC would like us on board because the more litigants, the more powerful the suit will be.”
Parker had mentioned the legal action toward the end of a county board meeting. Supervisors Brian Morgan and Greg Kenning were there Tuesday as well.
“I wonder if the finger is being pointed in the wrong direction,” said Kenning.
At this point, Parker told the Courier, the target of the complaint is the pharmaceutical industry. Morgan told Kenning that his understanding is that drug companies send out tons of these pills, and offer incentives to doctors.
Kenning said he is aware of the deals made: His son is a physician, and spent the first part of his new practice getting patients off of opioids. County law enforcement warned the board that addicts will go “doctor shopping” until they get a cooperative physician — or two.
It’s hard to pull that with young Dr. Kenning: He’s able to see via computer what medications his patient is on, and who prescribed it. So when a client requests a prescription to Vicodin, said Supervisor Kenning, any doctor with this networking ability can say, “I see another clinic has already given you a prescription for that. So I won’t be giving you another prescription for the same medication.”
Two law enforcement officers were in the courtroom to discuss other county business. The supervisors asked opinions from Sheriff Mark Miller and Chief Deputy Don Phillips.
“There is a community,” said Phillips, “where we were receiving a large number of theft reports. They’d say someone had stolen their medicine.”
“We suspect they were reporting their medication stolen, then taking the report to the doctor’s office so they could get more opioids.”
Though the state association did not have spokesperson available late Tuesday afternoon,
ISAC is certainly aware of the problem. They’ve already planned for an educational breakout session at a conference in 2018: “Combating Opioid Misuse in Iowa: Responding to Evolving Challenges by Dale Woolery, associate director of the Iowa Office of Drug Control Policy.”
Of the six classes available at their seminar, it’s the first session listed.
Information about the dangers of opioid use could help prevent future addiction, said Parker. He doesn’t think there will be a ton of money coming to Iowa counties due to the suit. But, he said, there may be a mandatory education component added to opioid distribution.
“That could make a difference,” he said.
So why even hesitate? Get on board, and if there’s money, we get some.
“It’s the principle,” said Parker. “Are we blaming the drug companies unfairly?”
Kenning is going to talk to doctors to learn more, he said. And he’s going to find out what the lawsuit will do for the counties. Both he and Parker said they don’t think this should like the big tobacco settlement in years past.
“There’s no question that pain medication is helpful,” explained Parker. “That if they didn’t make it, it would be a loss for those who do benefit from it. So do we blame them for making it? For selling it, or marketing it?”
Or have doctors not been cautious enough? They aren’t being sued, Parker said.
“You can’t buy it from the drug company, you need a doctor’s prescription.”
Are any of these questions enough to keep the county out of the class-action lawsuit?
“That is the question,” said Parker. “We haven’t decided yet.”
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Dec 20, 2017 | Clinton Herald (IA)
By John Rohlf
Clinton County is joining a lawsuit against opioid producers.
The Clinton County Board of Supervisors on Monday unanimously approved a resolution to execute an engagement letter with Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC, Crueger Dickinson LLC and von Briesen & Roper, s.c., as counsel for claims against opioid manufacturers. Clinton County Attorney Mike Wolf recommended the Supervisors agree to join in the lawsuit as plaintiffs on behalf of Clinton County.
"At this point I think we're in capable hands with the firm that came with the initial proposal," Wolf said. "I did appreciate Kevin Techau's offered input. This is going to be filed, as you heard the discussion, it's moving so rapidly. It looks like it's going to be filed directly in Ohio anyway so we wouldn't need Iowa counsel for that purpose. And it seems like anything locally would still be handled by the firm through a national type of survey so it would be consistent for all counties throughout the country. So I think the county can benefit from this as well to get a handle on what it is, to be involved in that and since it's moving so quickly I think the time is now."
Supervisor Dan Srp supported Clinton County joining the lawsuit, citing benefits the lawsuit may have for Clinton County. He said joining the lawsuit is more than just the possibility of a potential cash settlement.
"I still feel that this lawsuit as participation parallels pretty well with a lot of the conversations we're having with CCJCC (Clinton County Justice Coordinating Commission) and working to address the causes of a lot of our interactions in the criminal justice system and emergency medical system," Srp said. "It can create significant drags on our local economy and our local budgets both in our medical centers and also in our jail. I think that the preventative opportunities that might present alone, trying to address these addictions can be very well worth it. If there's some type of cease or desist type outcome in regards to how these current practices are from some of these pharmaceutical companies I think that's another added benefit."
Board Vice Chairman Tom Determann stated he is "not in favor of class-action lawsuits," believing it is a way for attorneys to make money. Wolf stated the participating counties would receive funds absent the attorney fees, which he said was typical for a class action lawsuit.
"In this case I don't think we're talking a small amount for the county," Wolf said. "The issue would be possibly some compensation for the county. ... It's just like the tobacco litigation where states did see some pretty substantial refunds for the work that was done."
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Lawsuit Filed For Smith County Against Prescription Opioid Manufacturers
Dec 20, 2017 | The Chattanoogan (TN)
By Staff
Mark P. Chalos of the national plaintiffs’ law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP announces that Smith County has filed a lawsuit against prescription opioid manufacturers and distributors to recover taxpayer money spent to combat the opioid epidemic wreaking havoc on the Smith County community.
The complaint, which is believed to be the first by a Tennessee county to be filed in federal court, alleges that the defendants in the suit, which include Purdue Pharma, Cephalon, Teva Pharmaceutical, Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Noramco Inc., Endo Health Solutions, Mallinckrodt, Allergan, Actavis, Watson Pharmaceuticals, Insys Therapeutics, AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation, Cardinal Health, and additional affiliated businesses and entities (the “Defendants”), violated the law by falsely promoting highly addictive opioids as safe and necessary, while concealing the true risks of the drugs.
The complaint states that these defendants also conspired to manufacture and distribute millions of doses of highly addictive opioids, knowing that they were being trafficked and used for illicit purposes, and recklessly disregarded their devastating effect on the taxpayers and government of Smith County. As a result of the conspiracy, Smith County taxpayers have spent many hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight the opioid crisis and deal with its effects on their community, said officials.
“We’ve seen our communities devastated by the addiction to opioids," said Mr. Chalos. "What we have seen throughout our region is millions of pills being sold in communities where there aren’t millions of people. It's time the opioid manufacturers faced responsibility for their destructive and wrongful conduct that has led to injuries and destroyed lives and families across Smith County, across Tennessee, and throughout the U.S."
"Smith County is one of Tennessee’s most vibrant communities,” said Smith County Mayor Michael Nesbitt. “The opioid epidemic has created serious challenges for our county and our government. Our goal is to hold the wrongdoers accountable and to recover taxpayer money that the opiod epidemic has consumed.”
As alleged in the Complaint:
Opioids are estimated to kill upwards of 100 Americans per day, and cost health services providers billions of dollars per year both in payments for unnecessary and harmful prescriptions of the drugs themselves, and the costs of treating the diseases and injuries they cause. Accidental drug overdose deaths, of which at least two-thirds are opioid overdoses, are the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50. Accidental drug overdose deaths, predominantly from opioids, exceed the number of deaths caused by cars or guns. The economic burden caused by opioid abuse in the United States is approximately $78.5 billion, including lost productivity and increased social services, health insurance costs, increased criminal justice presence and strain on judicial resources, and substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation. Opioid manufacturing and distributing companies systematically and repeatedly disregarded the health and safety of their customers and the public. Charged by law to monitor and report dangerous behavior, they failed to do so in favor of maximizing corporate profits and increasing their market share.
The Complaint further alleges that Defendants’ marketing — and not any medical breakthrough —rationalized prescribing opioids for chronic pain and opened the floodgates for opioid use and abuse. “Defendants falsely and misleadingly, and contrary to the language of their drugs’ labels: (1) downplayed the serious risk of addiction; (2) promoted the concept of “pseudoaddiction” and thus advocated that the signs of addiction should be treated with more opioids; (3) exaggerated the effectiveness of screening tools in preventing addiction; (4) claimed that opioid dependence and withdrawal are easily managed; (5) denied the risks of higher opioid dosages; and (6) exaggerated the effectiveness of “abuse-deterrent” opioid formulations to prevent abuse and addiction. Conversely, Defendants also falsely touted the benefits of long-term opioid use, including the supposed ability of opioids to improve function and quality of life, even though there was no good evidence to support Defendants’ claims.”
Smith County alleges claims for racketeering, conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, public nuisance, negligence, and unjust enrichment, and seeks all legal and equitable relief as allowed by law under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and Tennessee statutory and common law. The Complaint seeks repayment of costs associated with the opioid epidemic in Smith County, including actual damages, treble damages, equitable relief, forfeiture as deemed proper by the Court, attorney’s fees and all costs and expenses of suit and pre- and post-judgment interest.
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Tennessee Counties Begin Suing Drug Companies Over Opioids
Dec 20, 2017 | WKNO (TN)
By Blake Farmer
Tennessee counties are joining the list of entities suing pharmaceutical companies over opioids. Smith County is the first to file suit in federal court. Davidson County is likely to follow after approval by the Metro Council Tuesday night.
Smith County claims that it's spent hundreds of thousands of dollars related to the opioid epidemic. The rural community east of Nashville wants payback for law enforcement, health care and even lost productivity of its residents.
"The opioid epidemic has created serious challenges for our county and our government," Smith County Mayor Michael Nesbitt said in a statement. "Our goal is to hold the wrongdoers accountable and to recover taxpayer money that the opioid epidemic has consumed."
More: Download the Smith County suit
San Francisco-based Lieff Cabaser is one of the mass litigation law firms suing companies like Purdue Pharma for pushing opioids and disregarding the risk of addiction.
Attorney Mark Chalos of the Nashville office says it's not that everyone's trying to get a piece of what could be a massive settlement or even jury verdict. He says the more plaintiffs, the stronger the case.
"It helps that there are a lot of people, a lot of entities suing at this point," Chalos said. "It will help level the playing field and the plaintiffs will have a fair shake in court against these multi-billion-dollar corporations."
Chalos says other Tennessee counties will likely join the federal suit, and Nashville's resolution specifically joins Lieff Cabraser's efforts.
Earlier this year, three judicial districts in East Tennessee banded together for a lawsuit in state court. So far, the Tennessee Attorney General has not followed, saying litigation might get favorable publicity in the short term but could get tied up in court for a generation. Rather, he has joined other AGs to launch an investigation into pharmaceutical giants and use their subpoena power to influence a possible settlement in the future.
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Nashville cleared to explore opioid lawsuit with contracting dispute now resolved
Dec 20, 2017 | The Tennesean (TN)
By Joey Garrison
After facing an unexpected setback, Mayor Megan Barry's administration is now cleared to use an outside law firm to explore a potential lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors following Metro Council action Tuesday.
The council voted 31-1 to defeat a motion to reconsider contracting Nashville-based Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, reaffirming an initial vote from two weeks ago.
Tuesday's additional action was forced by At-large Councilwoman Erica Gilmore, who at the Dec. 5 meeting held up the proposal's passage by turning to a seldom-used tactic that allows the council to reconsider approved legislation during its next meeting.
Gilmore and multiple other African-American council members have questioned whether minority-led law firms were considered for the contract. The contract was deferred against the administration's will last month as well.
Easing some concerns, Lieff Cabraser has now partnered with Manson, Johnson and Conner, a firm whose five partners are all African-American.
"The opioid catastrophe has devastated families throughout our community," said Mark Chalos, a partner at Lieff Cabraser. "We are honored to represent our hometown in leading the fight against the wrongdoers. The lawsuit seeks to recover taxpayer money spent to combat the effects of the opioid catastrophe in our city."
Under the resolution approved Tuesday, attorneys will investigate whether Metro should pursue litigation to seek reimbursement for economic harms caused by the opioid crisis locally.
According to a council legal analysis of the approved agreement, the "economic impacts" of opioid addiction on Metro government includes drug addiction treatment, emergency room visits, law enforcement response, incarceration, child abuse and neglect, and the cost for removing children from parental custody, as well as medical treatment for prenatal opioid exposure.
In Nashville, the danger of prescription pills has received heightened attention after Barry's 22-year-old son, Max, in August died of an overdose that involved opioids. Barry has talked openly about her son's death, and become a voice in the national opioid crisis, but a mayor's office spokesperson has said Metro was considering legal action before Max's death.
Cities across the nation have taken legal action against opioid distributors and manufacturers as the opioid crisis has deepened in recent years.
On Tuesday, Lieff Cabraser filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of Smith County against a long list of companies seeking to recover public dollars spent on combating the opioid epidemic there. It is believed to be the first lawsuit of its kind filed in Tennessee on behalf of a county.
Lieff Cabraser, which also has law offices in New York, San Francisco, and Seattle, represents only plaintiffs, both in class-action and individual cases. In the past, the firm has won successful past suits against the tobacco industry, Volkswagen in the car company's recent "clean diesel" emissions fraud cases, and employment practices of Walmart.
In Metro, Lieff Cabraser will be retained on a contingency fee basis, meaning Metro won't pay attorney fees during the litigation process. The firm will instead receive compensation only if it recovers a favorable verdict or reaches a settlement. How much would depend on the amount recovered in litigation or a settlement, and whether the defendant opioid manufacture or distributor admits to wrongdoing.
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City of Greenville joins in lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies
Dec 19, 2017 | The Greenville Advocate (AL)
By Matt Hutcheson
The City of Greenville is joining the ranks of a host of cities and communities across the country that are suing pharmaceutical companies, citing the burden, both human and financial, of the companies’ aggressive marketing and distribution of opioids.
For clarity, opioids are drugs such as oxycodone and morphine, used widely and legally to treat pain.
The lawsuit alleges that pharmaceutical companies’ “marketing of these drugs contributed to the creation of the opioid epidemic, a public health and safety crisis, and as a result of responding to the opioid crisis within its communities the City of Greenville has sustained economic damages and continues to incur a significant financial burden.”
The opioid epidemic is an unparalleled drug problem for reasons somewhat distinct from problems surrounding the illegal opioid heroin.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 80 percent of people who started abusing opioids in the 1960s began with heroin, while 75 percent of those who began in the 2000s reported that their first opioid was through a prescription.
In this case, the drug dealers are not unscrupulous individuals on street corners, selling to the hopelessly addicted and destitute, but executives in suits helming the most powerful drug companies in the country.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control lists Alabama as having the highest prescribing rates of opioids in 2016, with a rate of 121.0 prescriptions per 100 persons.
Butler County has a prescribing rate of 135.4 per 100 persons.
Alabama also has the second-highest rate of nonmedical use of opioids, corresponding to “one out of every 19 Alabamians aged 12 or older.”
The CDC also asserts, in data obtained through a national survey, that opioids are most often procured by non-medical users for free through friends or relatives, with the second highest level being through prescriptions.
Coupled with the vast prescription rate in Alabama, this data paints a relatively clear picture of how this epidemic has unfolded.
The National Drug Institute estimates that 2.1 million Americans “suffer from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers” in data from 2012.
Furthermore, the CDC notes that prescription painkiller overdoses “kill more Americans than heroin and cocaine combined.”
The lawsuit treads ground similar to complaints filed all over the country by cities, towns, and counties of all sizes and demographics that allege illegal and unethical behavior by pharmaceutical companies.
A copy of the complaint, provided by Beasley Allen, states “the manufacturers aggressively pushed highly addictive, dangerous opioids, falsely representing to doctors that patients would only rarely succumb to drug addiction” and “persuaded doctors to prescribe highly addictive, dangerous opioids, turning patients into drug addicts for their own corporate profit.”
The named pharmaceutical companies are essentially accused of marketing and distributing some of the most addictive drugs on the planet with few ethical bounds, garnering massive profits by fostering addiction and dependence.
Information regarding the defendants in the lawsuit can be found on Beasley Allen’s website, and the complaint itself is filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, under case number 2:17-CV-836.
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Dothan wants its share of money likely coming because of a drug epidemic
Dec 19, 2017 | WTVY (AL)
By Alison Lorraine
Dothan is joining other local governments in lawsuits seeking its share of a likely financial settlement with opioid manufacturers.
They allege aggressive and potentially deceptive marketing practices by giant drug makers created a national epidemic.
President Trump estimates opioid abuse in 2015 cost Americans $504 billion, more than six times the previous estimate.
The White House says healthcare, criminal justice and lost job productivity costs are most affected.
"Opioid addiction seems to affect all age groups, this isn't just young people anymore,” said District 5 commissioner Beth Kenward. “These are senior citizens, moms and dads- it's a very slippery slope. It is a growing problem, and we are seeing some of the fall out in Dothan."
Drug maker Purdue Pharma that produces OxyContin is already negotiating a settlement. Dothan will use the Beasley Allen law firm in Montgomery to seek a settlement.
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Some Florida counties seek restitution amid opioid crisis
Dec 19, 2017 | News 4 JAx (FL)
By Jake Stofan
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has been investigating pharmaceutical companies for their part in causing the opioid crisis since September. While the state hasn’t filed any lawsuits against the companies, some Florida counties are taking it upon themselves to seek restitution.
More Florida counties are expected to file suit in the next few months. Miami-Dade and Escambia counties have already expressed some interest.
More than 10 states have filed lawsuits against Big Pharma, blaming the companies for playing a part in causing the national opioid crisis.
Florida has yet to take any legal action against the companies, but it is part of a coalition of 41 states investigating the companies.
“You know, we put in a lot of investigation ourselves before we go out and file these lawsuits, because we have the ability to gather a lot of documents doing it the way we're doing it,” Bondi said.
Tired of waiting for the state to take legal action, three counties have decided to sue on their own.
Broward County is the latest, joining more than 100 jurisdictions around the country who have filed suit against pharmaceutical companies.
“This is probably our No. 1 public safety and public health crisis right now, and this is something that, you know, needs to be addressed," said Broward County Commissioner Michael Udine.
For the lawsuits to prevail, counties have to prove pharmaceutical companies marketed opioids as safe products, despite knowledge of research suggesting the opposite. It’s similar to the state’s case against Big Tobacco in the 1990s, which won the state $13 billion, some of which funded anti-smoking efforts.
Addiction and mental health advocates hope any possible settlements from pharmaceutical companies can go toward addiction services like Central Receiving Facilities.
“They often are the folks on the front line who see the results of addiction and who will actually bring the folks into treatment for their first go around," said Melanie Brown-Woofter, with Florida Council for Community Mental Health.
The attorney general’s office said if drug companies fail to cooperate with the investigation, Florida is ready to file suit in a moment’s notice.
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Bay County chooses law firm to represent the board in the battle against opioid epidemic
Dec 20, 2017 | WJHG (FL)
By Megan Bell
Two weeks ago, Bay County Commissioners decided to join the movement of putting an end to the opioid epidemic by filing lawsuits against manufacturers of prescription opioids.
Tuesday, the board unanimously voted on a law firm to take on that battle.
Bryant and Higby Attorneys at Law will be representing Bay County as part of the national team fighting this epidemic.
District Four Commissioner Guy Tunnell says it's the same firm that Panama City has chosen and it seems to be the best fit for a variety of reasons.
"One firm, one local representative of the team that's fighting this thing nationally was far and away much more prepared, much stronger. They've incorporated a couple of expert witnesses in the form of a couple of high, very high level former DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration] administrators that knew this issue from the get-go," Bay County Commissioner Guy Tunnell said.
Tunnell says it's all in an effort to reduce the amount of drugs in our area and also save some taxpayer dollars.
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City of Hot Springs joins lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies over opioid abuse
Dec 20, 2017 | THV 11 (AR)
By Brejamin Perkins
The opioid crisis across the nation and here in Arkansas continues to strike conversation and concern.
Tonight, the city of Hot Springs may be next in line to join a lawsuit aiming to hold pharmaceutical companies responsible. The city would join more than 100 others on board with the Arkansas Municipal League.
Since 2011, Arkansas has lost 265 million in societal loses.
“In 2013, we had the highest rate of teenagers prescribed opioids of any state in the nation,” said Don Zimmerman, Director of the Municipal League.
State leaders, cities and counties are taking the opioid crisis into their own hands.
“Our nation is in a crisis and Arkansas is right at the forefront of it,” he added.
Zimmerman thinks rural states are targeted most by pharmaceutical companies.
“This is a map from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing the number of opioid overdoses across the country,” said Zimmerman showing map of data that showed Arkansas at the center of it all.
The Association of Arkansas Counties is involved with the lawsuit as well. 66 have already been filed in federal court across the country.
“You probably saw the piece of 60 minutes on CBS the night before last where they were talking about this crisis and how the federal government tried to deal with one of the big manufactures. They got a small settlement,” he said.
Right now, Zimmerman isn't sure if something similar could happen in Arkansas but hopes the lawsuit pushes positive action.
“We anticipate that we're going to have the vast majority of cities and counties in this litigation. Hopefully we'll have them all,” said Zimmerman.
Last year about 1.7 million opioid prescriptions were issued in the state.
“The highest in Arkansas is 177 prescriptions per 100 people in Green County, Garland County is right there with them at 176,” he added.
Next month there will be a meeting in Fort Smith, where the Arkansas Municipal League anticipates more cities and counties will join litigation.
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Odell Signs Litigation Against Pharmaceutical Companies
Dec 20, 2017 | The Putnam County News & Recorder (NY)
By Eric Gross
Putnam County has joined an increasing list of municipalities across New York State in commencing litigation against pharmaceutical companies and distributors, who the lawmakers charge have “created the nationwide opioid epidemic.” On Monday afternoon before an audience of some three dozen consisting of county employees and volunteers, County Executive MaryEllen Odell signed the litigation at the Putnam Bureau of Emergency
The remainder of this article is under paywall at: https://www.pcnr.com/articles/odell-signs-litigation-against-pharmaceutical-companies/
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CT Unions Sue Nation's Largest Pharma Companies
Dec 20, 2017 | Connecticut Law Tribune (CT)
By Robert Storace
Four Connecticut-based union locals have sued the nation’s largest pharmaceutical companies, accusing them of misleading the public about the dangers of prescription opioids.
The four locals—Teamsters Locals 493, 671 and 677 and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 90—filed separate suits on behalf of their health funds in U.S. District Court in Connecticut Monday. The locals represents more than 7,200 people.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of similar litigation filed by three Connecticut municipalities.
The identical lawsuits, which include the same two attorneys, claim the manufacturers misled and outright lied about the risks of opioids.
The lawsuits, which name 29 defendant companies or individuals, claim manufacturers “trivialized the risk of long-term and higher dosage opioid therapy” and had a “scheme to change prescriber habits and public perception.”
The attorneys representing the unions are Robert Cheverie, a solo practitioner from East Hartford, and James Ferraro Jr., of The Ferraro Law Firm in Miami, Florida. Neither attorney responded to a request for comment.
The lawsuits were necessary because the plaintiffs have been “victimized by the fraudulent and misleading scheme perpetrated by these drug manufacturers, distributors, promoters and sellers,” according to the complaint. “These companies and individuals put profits ahead of patient safety. … The plaintiff has paid for a substantial amount of the opioid-related health care costs including prescriptions, addiction and rehabilitation, overdose and alternative drug treatments incurred by its members.”
The lawsuits go on to say the defendants created a false perception of the safety of opioids. “Defendants accomplished that false perception through a coordinated, sophisticated and highly deceptive and unfair marketing campaign that began in the late 1990s, became more aggressive in or about 2006, and continues to the present,” according to the lawsuits.
The lawsuits seek to recover the costs associated with treatment, hospitalization, addiction and rehabilitation treatment for members. The suits do not state how much in damages the unions are seeking.
The lawsuits cite seven counts: Violation of 18 U.S. Code 1962(C) related to promotion of opioid drugs pursuant to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act; violation of 18 U.S. Code 1962(D), which relates to RICO conspiracy; fraudulent concealment; conspiracy to commit fraud by concealment; and negligence.
Three Connecticut municipalities recently filed similar suits against the manufacturers and distributors. Waterbury filed suit in August, New Haven filed suit in November and New Britain filed earlier this month. Those suits are all pending.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ordered nearly all 180 federal lawsuits brought by cities, counties and states to be transferred to U.S. District Judge Dan Polster in the Northern District of Ohio. While the four union local lawsuits were not filed on behalf of a government entity, they could still be consolidated with the same judge.
John Puskar, Purdue Pharma public affairs director, did not respond to a request for comment. Purdue Pharma is one of the more than two dozen defendants.
In previous statements, Puskar said Purdue Pharma is dedicated to being part of the solution. The company states that it developed the first FDA-approved opioid medication with abuse-deterrent properties and partners with law enforcement to ensure access to naloxone. In addition, Purdue Pharma has said it denies the allegations.
Within the past year alone, at least 25 states, cities and counties have filed civil cases against manufacturers, distributors and large drugstore chains that make up the $13 billion-a-year opioid industry. It is not clear how many unions have filed such suits.
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Cecil County joins legal fight against opioid manufacturers
Dec 20, 2017 | Cecil Daily Whig (MD)
By Katie Tabeling
With its announcement last week that it intends to file a civil suit against opiate distributors, Cecil County has become just the latest jurisdiction to take the battle against the opioid epidemic into the courtroom.
Represented by Baron & Budd P.C., a Dallas-based law firm that specializes in large-scale tort litigation, the county is seeking reimbursement of costs incurred in the past from fighting the opioid epidemic caused by the unlawful conduct of the wholesale drug distributors.
Although no complaint has been filed yet, County Attorney Jason Allison said the law firm intends to present a damage model that may take the form of money damages or equitable remedies.
“It’s commonplace in these cases to formally request as much as possible, because if a jury awards over that amount, the courts can reduce it,” Allison said Monday. “The goal is to receive some sort of compensation so we can turn the tide and create treatment options and fund prevention tactics.”
Baron & Budd is representing the county on a contingent fee basis, which means that they would only be paid if the lawsuit results in recovering equitable relief. If that is the case, the law firm would receive 28 percent of the monetary award and is capped at an additional 20 percent to recoup legal fees — meaning Cecil County would walk away with at least 52 percent of any damages awarded.
Even so, Cecil County Executive Alan McCarthy said on Sunday that would be a drop in the bucket compared to the money and lives the county could save if its lawsuit is successful.
”During Labor Day weekend, there were [25] overdoses in 72 hours. You have to consider the police and emergency personnel we send out to answer those calls, to get Narcan and get them breathing. At that point, they’re taken to the hospital for treatment, where they could stay for days, if not weeks,” McCarthy said. “That could cost between $60,000 and $70,000. The numbers really start to add up.”
There have been 539 overdoses in the county so far this year, of which 87 percent involved opioids, according to Cecil County Heroin Coordinator Raymond Lynn. Approximately 64 overdoses were fatal, with 92 percent of those attributed to opioids.
Baron & Budd would take those figures into account, as well as the costs incurred from the county’s health department’s self-insurance pool, response calls handled by the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office and the county’s emergency services division; and, potentially, the transportation of the deceased to the medical examiner’s office.
While he could not comment directly on Baron & Budd’s investigation and who would be charged, Allison said a crucial element would be to determine which pharmaceutical companies are active in Cecil County.
“The argument, generally, is that these companies have committed fraud and misrepresented the addictive quality of these drugs. Much of what we know about these opioids, from law enforcement, is that they’re highly addictive,” Allison said. “Suffice to say, we feel that their negligence has started this cycle of addiction that’s tearing families to shreds. I can’t speak to the data acquired so far, but I know we’re taking a very aggressive approach.”
Cecil County isn’t the first to take the war against opioid abuse to the courtroom. In the last year, various counties and cities across the nation, including Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties in Maryland, have declared their intent to file civil suits against big pharmaceutical companies. York County, Pa., formally filed a complaint against 25 opioid manufacturers on Dec. 8.
In formal press statements, representatives from those three counties have said their lawsuits will attempt to hold these companies accountable for their role in the opioid epidemic.
The crux of these lawsuits across the nation is to prove that the pharmaceutical companies knowingly put the county at risk, said Leslie Garfield Tenzer, a 30-year Pace University law professor who specializes in tort law.
“We saw these types of litigations in the 1990s against tobacco companies, where counties alleged that these companies cost them money in health costs from untimely deaths,” she said Monday. “The problem is proving the product liability, that opioids are dangerous, because there some benefits for pain relief after surgery, even though they horribly impact communities.”
To Tenzer’s knowledge, there has been one case that was successful: Purdue Pharma, the manufacturers of OxyContin, a type of opioid, settled a long-running lawsuit in Kentucky in 2015.
Kentucky officials accused Purdue Pharma of marketing OxyContin as a nonaddictive painkiller, leading to increases in addiction and forcing the state to spend millions on drug abuse programs and law enforcement costs. Purdue executives also pleaded guilty years earlier, in a separate case, to making misleading claims about the drug’s risks of addiction.
Purdue Pharma agreed to pay Kentucky $24 million over eight years in the 2015 case, but did not admit any wrongdoing in the settlement agreement.
Cecil County’s best shot in its lawsuit, in Tenzer’s opinion, is to argue a “strict liability” approach, or that the drug manufacturers and distributors are responsible for their product, regardless of any fault on their part.
“In order to succeed, they’d have to prove that they owed the county, on behalf of its residents, a duty to not place an unreasonable burden on them,” she said. “In this argument, they breached that duty by taxing the county services, like law enforcement and emergency personnel, and doing so provided harm to the public.”
On the advice of Baron & Budd, Cecil County will not be joining with other Maryland counties in a class action lawsuit. This is to ensure that the county has its best opportunity to recover expenses, according to county officials.
Cecil County officials are waiting for lead counsel Burton LeBlanc, of Baron & Budd, to file a formal complaint in the upcoming weeks. McCarthy is confident that Cecil County will prove to be a formidable adversary to these drug companies, he said.
”This epidemic was created by these big, unscrupulous pharmaceutical companies that had their own interests and profits in mind,” McCarthy said. “We feel confident that Baron & Budd is a excellent team to take this on and show us results.”
As of Monday, LeBlanc was unavailable for comment.
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Pierce County joins Tacoma, others, in federal lawsuit against opioid manufacturers
Dec 19, 2017 | The News Tribune (WA)
By Sean Robinson
Add Pierce County to the growing list of local governments across the nation taking legal aim at opioid manufacturers.
Last week, County Council members decided to join 60 other entities in seven states, including the cities of Tacoma and Everett, in a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, makers of Oxycontin, as well as other drug companies.
The suit seeks injunctive relief against the drug manufacturers, in the form of a possible settlement that would offset the public costs of the opioid epidemic.
It’s also a matter of the county jumping on a legal bandwagon to meet pending deadlines as the case becomes a national argument.
“We were facing an in-or-out kind of a decision,” said Councilman Derek Young, who had pushed the idea for much of the year. “We have been dealing with the effects of the opioid epidemic. Our system’s been feeling the impacts, particularly in the criminal justice system, but also in our human service and public health systems.”
The county hasn’t filed the lawsuit yet; last week’s vote authorized the Prosecutor’s Office to start the process, which likely will begin with selecting an outside lawyer to oversee the suit.
The vote to proceed passed 4-1. Council members Doug Richardson and Pam Roach, both Republicans, joined Democrats Connie Ladenburg and Young.
Councilman Jim McCune, a Republican, cast the lone no-vote, saying he lacked the information he needed to make a decision.
Much like Tacoma and other jurisdictions, county leaders say the opioid crisis adds pressure on jails and hospitals while fueling the rise of homelessness and mental-health problems. The collective suits blame drug companies for promoting their products without regard for those impacts.
In turn, drug companies say they’re not to blame for the epidemic.
A statement from Purdue Pharma sent to The News Tribune earlier this year denied the allegations in Tacoma’s lawsuit, and said the company is working to combat the crisis.
Roach described the county’s lawsuit as one necessary piece of a larger effort.
“We need to fight back in every single way possible,” she said. “There’ll be many ways to fight back. This is just one of the ways to do it.”
The hoped-for outcome of the case is a national settlement, similar to nationwide litigation against tobacco companies a generation ago.
On Dec. 5, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, a group of seven federal judges tasked with managing complex litigation, ordered the consolidation of various opioid cases into a single suit to be heard in Ohio, hearing dates to be determined.
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The opioid crisis is about negligence. And complicity (EDITIORIAL)
Dec 19, 2017 | Washington Post
By Robert Gebelhoff
For years, the opioid crisis was described as one of negligence. In this narrative, doctors over-prescribed pills that shouldn’t have gone to patients and pharmaceutical companies overzealously promoted medications while playing down the risks.
But new reporting demonstrates how this version, as worrying as it sounds, might understate the role of drug makers in the opioid crisis. The Washington Post and “60 Minutes” reported that some of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s most experienced investigators believed criminal charges were warranted against one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, alleging that the company, McKesson Corp., did little to prevent huge quantities of addictive opioid medications from being diverted to illegal use by pharmacies that were, in some cases, knowingly supplying illegal drug rings.
In other words, this isn’t just a story of simple negligence. It’s a story about whether drug manufacturers and distributors turned a willfully blind eye toward illegal drug trafficking.
Defenders of opioid painkillers often argue that these medications are essential to people with chronic pain and that the vast majority of opioid prescriptions do not result in addiction or abuse. Instead, they contend, the prescription drug crisis is a myth and the real problems are more powerful, non-medicinal opioids such as heroin and fentanyl, which account for the lion’s share of overdoses in the country.
But to focus only on these facts lets drug producers off the hook. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has found that nearly 80 percent of all heroin users in the United States started with prescription opioids. Some of these people began using opioids through pain treatments. Others became addicted as millions of pills starting pouring into pharmacies and ended up in black markets.
The Post’s investigation illustrates a distribution system in which pharmacies, drug manufacturers and even regulators and lawmakers all played some role — knowingly or not — in a chain that reached massive numbers of illicit users. McKesson was not charged with a crime — DEA investigators who pressed for charges were overruled by the Justice Department in 2015 — and the company denied any “criminal intent or the violation of any criminal law” in a statement. But DEA agents reported that the company failed to review orders of “suspicious activity,” according to documents obtained by The Post.
In one instance described by The Post, McKesson supplied so much oxycodone to a single pharmacist in Colorado that the company not only filled his orders, but it also actively raised the limit that it had set for shipments of opioid painkillers to the pharmacy. Even though that pharmacist was selling as many as 2,000 pain pills a day — in a city with 38,000 people — McKesson didn’t report the activity until after the DEA opened a criminal investigation against the pharmacist, who is now in prison for drug trafficking.
Even still, DEA lawyers opted not to pursue criminal charges or take administrative action against the company. Instead, they settled with McKesson — not even taking away the company’s accreditation to distribute products in the states where its drugs ended up in the hands of criminals.
So far, DEA has fined McKesson twice for its opioid distribution practices — a $13.25 million fine in 2008 and another $150 million earlier this year. But McKesson, a Fortune 500 company, has annual revenues of almost $200 billion. More than $2 billion of that money is profit. The company’s chief executive alone has made $639 million over the past decade.
Demanding more action from the government is not meant to disrupt the lives of patients with pain. It’s to ensure that those who have been feeding the deadly addictions of our most vulnerable — while reaping hefty profits in the process — are held accountable.
This is not too much to ask. There’s an abundance of corpses and orphaned children across the country that tells us why.
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France fines J&J 25 mln euros over painkiller patch
Dec 20, 2017 | Reuters
By Staff
France’s competition authority fined U.S. healthcare group Johnson & Johnson 25 million euros ($29.62 million) on Wednesday after it found the company had deliberately slowed market access to generic copies of its painkiller Durogesic.
Durogesic is sold as a skin patch to control on-going moderate to severe pain and is often prescribed in cancer cases. It contains fentanyl, an opioid which, if misused, can lead to death by overdose.
The French Autorite de la Concurrence said J&J’s Janssen had “repeatedly intervened” to block the approval processes in France of Durogesic’s generic copies and disparaged them when in contact with doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Officials at J&J could not be immediately reached for comment.
The case was brought to the watchdog by German firm Ratiopharm, later acquired by Israel’s Teva pharmaceuticals , after Durogesic lost its patent in 2005.
In 2013, France’s Sanofi was ordered to pay 40.6 million euros for disparaging generic competition to its Plavix blood thinner. ($1 = 0.8440 euros) (Reporting by Matthias Blamont; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
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To fight the opioid epidemic, take drug makers to court? (EDITORIAL)
Dec 19, 2017 | Futurity
By Laurel Thomas Gnagey
Litigation against drug manufacturers that produce and distribute opioids could be a promising option in the fight against the opioid addiction crisis, according to a new article.
In the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Rebecca Haffajee of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, along with Michelle Mello of Stanford University, analyze the history of litigation efforts to hold those parties accountable.
To date, lawsuits have enjoyed limited success, at best settling for amounts not likely to financially harm manufacturers and distributors in the $13 billion-a-year industry enough to prompt change, says Haffajee, assistant professor of health management and policy and an attorney. She also is affiliated with the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.
“Early litigation brought by individuals harmed by prescription opioids against drug companies was minimally effective at mitigating the epidemic, in terms of guilty verdicts, large payouts, or industry changes in behavior,” she says. “However, in more recent years, litigation holds greater promise to succeed and reduce public health opioid harms, thanks to the large numbers of suits waged by governments and innovative legal theories they employ.”
Haffajee says there have been more than 100 cases filed by state and local governments, and more are in the pipeline.
Opioids are a class of drugs that includes prescription pain pills and illicitly manufactured substances like heroin and fentanyl. According to the authors, more than 300,000 people have died from opioid-related overdoses since 2000, and it’s expected another half million lives will be lost in the next decade. Health professionals across the country are attempting to slow the epidemic by encouraging physicians to prescribe fewer of the medications and raising awareness about the dangers with the public.
In the piece, the authors note that opioid lawsuits bear similarities to tobacco litigation, in that the suits involve addictive substances and are being brought by classes of similarly situate individuals and by governments.
Some of the legal arguments are also similar: that the companies were fraudulent in how they represented the harms of these products and promoted product use in a manner that enabled unjust enrichment—or company profiting at the expense of the government.
“But prescription opioids differ from tobacco, in that they are FDA-approved substances,” Haffajee says. “So many claims around defective design and failure to warn (such as on packaging) are less credible for opioids than they were for tobacco.”
Add to this that individuals that opioids harm often did not take them as prescribed and doctors overprescribed them, and company liability is a bit more difficult to establish, she says.
“The most promising legal claims are those that avoid plausible opioid company defenses—such as that the products were FDA-approved, or that individuals and physicians misused or misprescribed the drugs,” Haffajee explains.
“So government claims of fraud, misbranding, public nuisance, unjust enrichment, and failure to maintain effective controls (under the Controlled Substances Act) stand the best chance of success,” she says.
Link to original study: http://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMp1710756
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Opioid Litigation: Anticipated Positive Impact on Workers' Compensation Systems
Dec 20, 2017 | Worker's Compensation.com
By Jon Gelman
The increase, in both the number of settlements and magnitude of opioid lawsuits being filed, is anticipated having a positive outcome on workers' compensation systems that have suffered the burden of opioid addiction and death in epidemic proportions.
Historically, such mass torts of asbestos litigation, and the State Attorney General's tobacco actions, created in safer work-environments and healthier workers. The benefit has had a significant impact on workers' compensation programs. The tobacco public entity claims amounted to a $246 Billion settlement over 25 years and contributed about $100 Billion to states alone for remedial action. The asbestos third-party claims benefit injured workers, their families and their household contacts, and they further subrogation reimbursement to the employers and insurance companies. Reimbursement is also available to Medicare under the Medical Secondary Payer Act.
A recent interview by Dr. Rebecca Haffajee about the growing number of lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors highlights the potential positive outcome of opioid litigation for both the Federal and State governments, as well as other public entities. She anticipates that the Trump Administration will also ramp up litigation with the filing of additional lawsuits against the opioid industry. The resulting anticipated effect would be to change the practices of the pharmaceutical industry and to repair the harm allegedly done.
Dr. Haffajee reviews the historical development of the litigation from the early individual personal injury claims and class actions to what has snowballed into a massive onslaught of public entity claims. The early individual claims were based upon both failure to warm an ineffective design of the drugs. The difficulties with those claims were that the defenses of FDA approval, and intervening causality, ie. providers, and patients, were utilized by the pharmaceutical industry to challenge the lawsuits.
The opioid epidemic has claimed over 300,000 lives in the United States since 2000 and is predicted to claim an additional half million over the next decade. Public entity opioid litigation shows promise to make the workplace safer and motivate the pharmaceutical industry to change its ways and come to the table to work to help rectify the harm caused by opioid.
Click here to listen to the podcast: "Interview with Dr. Rebecca Haffajee on the growing number of lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors." Supplement to the N Engl J Med 2017; 377:2301-2305
Additional resources:
"Drug Companies' Liability for the Opioid Epidemic", Rebecca L. Haffajee, J.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., and Michelle M. Mello, J.D., Ph.D., N Engl J Med 2017; 377:2301-2305 December 14, 2017 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1710756
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Dec 19, 2017 | Harlan Daily Enterprise (KY)
By Staff
Hundreds of attorneys met before a federal litigation board in St. Louis last week to discuss ways of expediting the cause and speed of justice by reducing the about 150 lawsuits filed nationwide accusing several major drug manufacturers of fueling the opioid epidemic that is threatening to destroy area communities.
A request, filed with the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, in September, asks that those suits filed in multiple states be grouped together for better cohesion and efficiency as the cases move forward. A decision is expected in two weeks.
The lawsuits state that wholesale distributors breached their duty to monitor, detect, investigate, refuse and report suspicious orders of prescription opiates coming into the states over the past several years, a duty the lawsuits claim companies have under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Among those joining in the class action suit are virtually every city and county government in the Tri-State region. They include, but are not limited to, Ashland and Boyd County, Scioto, Gallia and Lawrence counties and the city of Portsmouth in Ohio, and McDowell, Kanawha, Boone, Wyoming, Logan, Lincoln, Cabell and Wayne counties and the city of Huntington in West Virginia.
Huntington attorney Paul T. Farrell Jr., whose coalition of law firms represents about half of the 154 cases filed thus far, said Thursday’s hearing did not seem to focus so much on whether the cases would be grouped, but instead where the cases would be heard.
“It’s anyone’s guess on where they will land,” he said. “But the panel is looking for a judge with some experience with handling MDLs (Multijurisdiction Lawsuits), and there was not a whole lot of time debating on judge or jurisdiction. Most of them want Columbus, Ohio, or Charleston.”
Grouping would allow one judge to make rulings on pretrial motions and other issues that arise, Farrell said. “No one is losing their case,” he said. “There are just several decisions that have to be made, and that will be conducted by one person, if the panel approves the order. It saves time and inconsistent rulings.”
Farrell also noted the issue of who had filed the suits — whose plaintiffs range from hospitals, government entities, labor unions, third-party payees and individual citizens. The panel could choose to separate those suits from each other due to different claims.
The “Big Three” distributors — McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp. — and five manufacturers, like Purdue Pharma and Johnson & Johnson, who are named in dozens of the lawsuits — argued the move would be ideal, but other pharmaceutical distribution businesses — including Walgreens, Kroger, Walmart, CVS and Rite Aid — who are named in just a handful of lawsuits — oppose the consolidation.
Smaller pharmacy distributors named in local lawsuits oppose the centralization of dozens of cases they are not named in. The move would be unfair and dramatically increase burdens and costs associated with the move, several claimed.
The filings started after a 2016 Charleston Gazette-Mail investigation revealed that between 2007 and 2012, the “Big Three” shipped 423 million pain pills to West Virginia, which has about 1.8 million citizens, before the number of pills started to decrease. The Cabell County Commission declared the distribution of pain medications in the county a public nuisance under West Virginia State Code and hired the law firm of Greene, Ketchum, Farrell, Bailey & Tweel to pursue first-of-its-kind legal action against those in the chain of distribution. It created a domino effect of lawsuits being filed nationwide.
After the hearing in St. Louis, Farrell said, “We got their attention today in one of the most important courtrooms in the country right now. They know that there is going to be a day of reckoning and it’s going to be magic or tragic — one or the other.”
It started with aggressive moves to promote OxyContin and other highly addictive “pain” medicine and supplying pain clinics with massive doses of those drugs. We think the pharmaceutical industry did play a role in creating this region’s opioid epidemic. We will allow a jury or juries to decide just how large that role is and if there is any liability, if at all. However, before any trial can being the many existing lawsuits must be combined into a more manageable number.
Some litigants may not like having their suit combined with a much larger action, but that is the best way to assure that the important issues in the suits do not take years before they are decided in a court of law. Most local governments involved in the combined suit likely will play only a minimum role in it, but it is important that they have a seat at the rather large table.
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Dec 19, 2017 | Detroit, MI
By WXYZ (ABC)
NOTE: Although the company is not verbally mentioned in this segment, its logo is included in the video segment.
Rough Transcript: >> Reporter: the lawsuit targets the six opioid manufacturers. also the next level, six major distributors. finally the retailers. the national chain corner drugstores. the suit alleges they all engaged in racketeering. aggressive over promotion, and false claims regarding the safety of the drugs. >> that's why since 2000 the number of opioids dispensed in this country has nearly quadrupled. >> Reporter: local governments are seeking compensation for the cost of law enforcement, courts and medical treatment. including processing, the growing overdose cases. >> doing complete autopsies on every suspected drug overdose. doing comprehensive toxicology. >> Reporter: critics say the lawsuit will fail because it's like suing gun manufacturers.
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Dec 20, 2017 | Detroit, MI
By WJBK (FOX)
Rough Transcript: big drug companies and retailers in an effort to fight the opioid cris. the federal lawsuit accused big pharma of pushing pills and lying about the safety of their products. in macomb county, there's more than 11,000 opioid addictions listed for every 10,000 residents. 3/4 of people addicted to opioids start by taking prescription drugs. >> a high likelihood that these people will be addicted and continue to take the drugs even at they're not need. >> enough is enough. i can't have 1.3 people per day being brought in to the macomb county morgue and looked at to make a determination, yeah, the cause of death was some opioid overdose. >> in the u.s., 175 americans die every day from opioids. a major change when it comes to the flu shot this morning. what group was told to avoid the
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Dec 20, 2017 | Grand Rapids, MI
By WZZM (ABC)
Rough Transcript: the national opioid crisis the plaintiffs want those companies to reimburse local governments for the cost of responding to the epidemic the lawsuitnames drug makers like purdue pharma the maker of oxycontin. it also includes large pharmacies like walgreens cvs in cusco
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Dec 20, 2017 | Grand Rapids, MI
By WWMT (CBS)
Rough Transcript: some michigan counties are now ásuing drug companies and reatilers over opioid use in the state. they're asking companies to reimburse local governments for the costs of responding to the cris.nine different counties filed the lawsuits in federal court yesterday.two others filed a lawsuit in october over marketing practices.purdue pharma, which makes oxycontin, says it supports efforts to limit the number of tablets during a first prescription.the state says roughly 17-hundred people died from opioid overdoses last year, up 33-percent from 2015.
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Dec 19, 2017 | Lansing, MI
By WLAJ (ABC)
Rough Transcript: "i am angry..i am disgusted..an i am appalled at what we've seen from the opioid industry and what they have done to our community.." "we've had it.. enough is enough.. and we are fighting back." the lawsuit filed on behalf of the city-- goes into detail - describing the drug companies' alleged misdeeds. it names several drug makers--and pharmacies--including walgreens--cvs--and rite aid.. claiming these companies failed to report the suspicious sales of opioids-- which is required by state and federal law. attorney mark bernstein says-- this lawsuit is asking for 2- things-- number 1--to get taxpayers money back from the drug manufacturers-- and number 2--to ask the court to force these companies to change policies. "this is the first wave o litigation.." attorney mark berstein says--
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Dec 19, 2017 | Lansing, MI
By WILX (NBC)
Rough Transcript: lets take a look now at what's trending this afternoon. happening right now is the filing of a federal lawsuit by lansing and eight other cities and counties across michigan. the lawsuit demands pharmaceutical manufacturers, phamacies, and distributors take responsibility for the opioidepidemic. in addition to the deaths, it alleges that cities and counties lost a significant amount of money that hurt local and county governments. mayor virg bernero is currently holding a press conference regarding the lawsuit. we'll have more details on the suit tonight on news ten at five and six.
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Dec 19, 2017 | Marquette, MI
By WJMN (CBS)
Rough Transcript: topping our news tonight ... addressing the opioid epidemic in the upper peninsula. the marquette county commission is considering joing a national lawsuit that targets manufacturers and distributors of opioids. several counties in michigan are already involved ... so commissioners have to look over the resolution and decide if they want marquette county to be too. the board chairman says opioids are a problem in marquette county. gerry corkin-board chairman "they're a problem in every county as far as increasing the cost for the various departments in dealing with a very serious problem." commissioners will discuss the topic again at an upcoming meeting in january.
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Dec 19, 2017 | Flint, MI
By WSMH (FOX)
Rough Transcript: >> Reporter: nine communities across michigan are launching this lawsuit against pharmaceutical distributors, retailers and companies. they say they're just getting started. her attorney mark bernstein is spearheading nine federal lawsuits that go after. >> the op owed cris is the most fatal drug crisis on record in american history. >> Reporter: one complaint alleges opioid manufacturers use data to understand which michigan doctors to target through their sales force. >> this has societal and economic implications that are profound. these are counties that are saying opioid and heroin and hepatis a which are all a natural progression ricochet through their community. destroying the fabric of the communities in many ways and causing havoc to their budgets. >>
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Dec 19, 2017 | Flint, MI
By WJRT (ABC)
Rough Transcript: but the county says the lawsuit demands that pharmaceutical manufacturers should be held responsible for pain pills that have led to abuse of heroin and other drugs. the lawsuit alleges racketeering, aggressive over- promotion, fraudulent claims and reckless production. about 175 americans die every day from opioid use. genesee county has the 18th highest death rate among the state's 87 counties. genesee county commissioner david martin says drug companies should also be held financially responsible for costs incurred on behalf of tax payers. (sot) (marc) attempts to hold manufactures and distributors accountable in court haven't been successful so far. companies being sued argue t over-prescribing,
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Dec 19, 2017 | Traverse City, MI
By WWTV (CBS)
Rough Transcript: - and more on heading to the senate coming up at 5-30 and six. several michigan cities and counties -- jumping on board in the lawsuit against u-s drug companies and retailers over the consequences of excessive opioid use. the purpose of the lawsuit -- is to get the pharmaceutical companies to reimburse local governments for the costs of responding to the opioid crisis. nationwide -- there have been more than 200-thousand opioid-related deaths in the past 17 years. and in 20-16 -- michigan specifically saw more than 17- hundred opioid overdose deaths. that's up 33-percent from 20-15. so far 11 michigan cities and counties have joined the lawsuit...inclduding grand traverse and chippewa counties.
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Dec 19, 2017 | Traverse City, MI
By WGTQ (ABC)
Rough Transcript: municipalities filed lawsuits against several pharmaceutical companies joining nearly 100 other communities nationwide.>> i have never seen anything like this and if it does not stop we already have a big problem. we have a crisis. if it continues -- i am not sure what we will call it.>> Reporter: several law firms are representing that municipalities saying pharmaceutical companies are partly to blame for opioid addiction in ensuing problems the community space.>> from a capital standpoint there are harder hit areas as far as the number of deaths and prescription rates.>> Reporter: the hope of the lawsuit is to recover the cost fighting the epidemic but also force the companies to change the policies to prevent this moving forward.>> we are sending a clear message that michigan recognizes that the county level in the city level that the damage that these companies have caused is enough.
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Dec 20, 2017 | Champaign, IL
By WCCU (FOX)
Rough Transcript: >>> champaign county plans to take legal actions against pharmaceutical companies amid the nationwide opioid cris. last night, the county board voted to hire three law firms to file a lawsuit against companies with alleged roles in the opioid epidemic. officials hope to hold these organizations accountable and be reimbursed for the money the county has to spend fighting the opioid cris. >>>
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Dec 20, 2017 | Seattle, WA
By KIRO (CBS)
Rough Transcript: Pierce County is now joining the number of local governments suing opioid manufacturers.The County Council voted to join 60 others in the federal lawsuit against Purdue Pharma --the makers of Oxycotin -- and other drug companies.The suit claims the companies helped create the epidemic by pushing opioids on doctors and patients -- without giving real warnings about the dangers. Washington State, Seattle, Tacoma and Everett are all
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Dec 20, 2017 | Milwaukee, WI
By WITI (FOX)
Rough Transcript: also new: racine county files a lawsuit... against opioidmanufacturers. the county board unanimously approved the resolution last night. the suit accuses manufacturers of using deceptive marketing tactics to mask the negative impact of long-term opioid use. the racine county medical examiner's office says 35 people have died so far in 2017 because of drug overdoses... with another six pending cases that
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Dec 20, 2017 | Charleston, SC
By WCIVDT2 (ABC)
Rough Transcript: now to that all out fight against opioids. McMASTER issuing an executive order. those important drugs to reverse an overdose are in short supply. our sister station surveying several pharmacies. he said they had little to non-on hand. one pharmaceutical expert said this is a growing problem. >> right now if you walk into a cvs, wall groans or walmart you can't get certain products to reverse the effects of opioid. >> Jon: they cost a pretty
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Dec 20, 2017 | Lafayette, IN
By WLFI (CBS)
Rough Transcript: > another indiana community is filing a lawsuit against parts of the opioid industry. fort wayne is is taking aim at several distributors with a public nuisance lawsuit.among the companies listed are the three largest wholesale drug distributors in the country. the city claims the distributors should be held accountablfor the way they brought opiates into the community and making the epidemic possible.the filing comes less than a week after allen county, which includes fort wayne, sued pharmaceutical companies for allegedly misrepresenting the addictiveness of opioids. several other communities nationwide have made similar claims.
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Dec 19, 2017 | Charlotte, NC
By WSOC (ABC)
Rough Transcript: in the next 30 minutes brook county's board of commissioners is going to vote on whether to join a nationwide lawsuit over the opioid crisis. communities across north carolina and the u.s. joined the lawsuit which accuses drug manufacturersof aggressively pushing dangerous opioids on patients. the lawsuit wants to recover taxpayer money. it won't cost the county anything unless money is won in court. >>>
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Dec 19, 2017 | Tampa, FL
By WFLA (NBC)
Rough Transcript: >> the state of florida has not filed any lawsuits against the county. some companies are taking it upon themselves to seek restitution. >>> more than 10 states have filed lawsuits against big pharm companies, blaming them in part for the national opioid crisis [ . [ sirens ] >> Reporter: florida has yet to take any legal action against big pharma. >> we put in a lot of investigation ourselves before we go and file these lawsuits because we have the ability to gather a lot of documents doing it the way we're doing it. >> Reporter: tired of the state to take legal action, three florida counties have decided to sue on their own. >> Reporter: broward county is the latest joing more than 100 jurisdictions around the country who filed similar suits. >> this is probably our number one public safety and health cris right now and this is something that needs to be addressed.
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Dec 19, 2017 | Panama City, FL
By WJHG (NBC)
Rough Transcript: makers of prescription opioids. today... the board unanimously voted on a law firm to take on that battle. bryant and higby attorneys at law will represent bay county... as part of the national team fighting this epidemic. district four commissioner guy tunnell says it's the same firm panama city chose... and it seems to be the best fit for a variety of reasons. florida's attorney general has been investigating pharmaceutical companies for their part in causing the opioid crisis since september. as newschannel 7's jake stofan tells us... while florida hasn't filed any lawsuits against the companies... some florida counties... we mentioned... are taking it upon themselves to seek restitution. More than ten states have filed lawsuits against Big Pharma, blaming the companies for playing a part in causing the national opioid crisis. Florida has yet to take any legal action against Big Pharof coalition of 41 states investigating the companies. "You know we put in a lot of investigation ourselves before we go out and file these lawsuits, because we have the ability to gather a lot of documents doing it the
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Dec 19, 2017 | Jacksonville, FL
By WJXT
Rough Transcript: >> this is probably our number one public safety public health cris right now and this is something that need to be addressed. >>Reporter: for the lawsuit to prevail county have to pursue that they marketed the product despite knowledge of research suggesting the opposite. similar to the state case against big tobacco in the 1990's which won the state 13 billion dollars some of which funed and smoke effort. advocate hope any possible settlement with pharmaceutical company can go to addiction service like central receiving facility. >> they often have the folk on the front-line who see the results of addiction and who will bring the folk into treatment for the first go round. >>Reporter: attorney general office says if drug company fail to cooperate with the investigation t-they are ready to file suit in a moment notice. reporting from the state capitol, channel 4, the local station. >>> if you go to our web site slash opioid you will find all or most recent stories about
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Dec 20, 2017 | Tampa, FL
By WWSB (ABC)
Rough Transcript: it is time for the first hot topic. sadly we know the sun coast is at the epicenter of the opioid epidemic. the city of pauletlmetto is suing. the city approved retaining an outside legal team to review the impact of the opioid crisis and how it is affecting the city's finances. potential costs including narcan that's the drug that stops an overdose that the city now stops and the personnel to administer for it. delray beach has filed suit against big pharma. what do you think about a city suing? >> why not. if they are going to have to deal with the consequences why not go to the source of it. >> the pharmaceutical companies are making a great deal of money on this. they should pay for the consequences, too. on the other hand, i believe we
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Dec 19, 2017 | Huntsville, AL
By WAFF (NBC)
Rough Transcript: towns across alabama are suing drug manufacturers and wholesale distrubitors over the opioid addiction crisis. now , decatur and limestone counties are joining the fight. the decatur city council voted unanimously yesterday to hire a law firm out of pensacola florida to represent it in a lawsuit againsty opioid distributors. the limestone county commission voted -4- to zero to retain athens attorney john plunk and hodges trial lawyers p-c in huntsville to represent the county. the decatur daily says they're seeking all civil remedies against drug manufacturers and wholesale distrubitors.
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Dec 19, 2017 | Mobile, AL
By WEAR (ABC)
Rough Transcript: paying a part in the opioid crisis. florida has yet to take any legal action but part of a coalition of 41 states. >> we put in a lot of investigation ourselves because we have the ability to gather a lot of documents. >> Reporter: three florida counties have decided to sue on their own. broward county is the latest joining 100 jurisdictions who filed similar suits. >> is the number one safety public health crisis right now this is something that needs to be addressed. student counties have to prove pharmaceutical companies marketed opioid products in spite of the research showing the opposite. this one the state's $13 billion.
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Dec 19, 2017 | Little Rock, AR
By KTHV (CBS)
Rough Transcript: the forefront of don zimmerman with the arkansas municipal league says rule states are targeted most by pharmaceutical companies this is a map from the centers for disease control and prevention showing the opioid overdoses across the country the darker areas represent more severe distribution the league along with the association of arkansas counties is building a lawsuit against drug manufacturers about sixty six lawsuits have already been filed in federal court across the country. he probably saw the piece on sixty minutes on cbs night before last where they were talking about such a crisis this was now the federal government and tried to deal with that one of the big opioid manufacturers and i got the small settlement right now zimmerman is unsure of something similar could happen in arkansas but hopes the lawsuit pushes positive action. we anticipate that we're going to have the vast majority of counties and cities involved in this litigation. hopefully we'll
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