Thirteen Kentucky Health Systems Band Together to Sue Opioid Makers for Drug Epidemic

Los Angeles, California -

Thirteen health systems from Kentucky have banded together to sue opioid distributors, sellers, and manufacturers for allegedly using “a false narrative marketing scheme” that understated the risks associated with opioids and “precipitated the crisis”.

The lawsuit, filed in Warren County, alleges that more than 40 businesses were part of a conspiracy to benefit “both independently and jointly from their wrongful conduct,” according to court documents.

Companies named in the lawsuit include Walmart, Purdue Pharma, and Johnson & Johnson, who allegedly misrepresented opioid products as safer than they actually were. This led to doctors over-prescribing the drugs and patients developing an addiction or dying from an overdose.

The complaint, which is more than 300 pages, details the extent of the opioid crisis in Kentucky.

“No state has been hit harder by the opioid epidemic than Kentucky,” the complaint says, referring to the uptick in opioid-related deaths in the state. In 1999, opioid-related deaths in Kentucky were one in 100,000. But in 2017, the deaths increased to 10 in 100,000.

The case goes on: "The progression from prescription opioids to the use of illicit drugs, particularly injectable heroin, is well documented, with approximately 75% of heroin users reporting that their initial drug use was through prescription.”

It further argues that opioids have “endangered public health in Kentucky even beyond addiction and overdose. Addicts who are not killed by drug addiction experience a variety of health consequences (including non-fatal overdoses) and engage in a variety of risky drug-seeking behaviors.”

The lawsuit condemns over-prescription of opioids, saying that “filling an opioid prescription is a significant risk factor for overdose”. The risky behavior caused by opioid abuse hurts communities and leads to criminal activity, according to the case.

“Through a massive marketing campaign premised on false and incomplete information, the marketing defendants engineered a dramatic shift in how and when opioids are prescribed by the medical community and used by patients.”

The Kentucky lawsuit follows thousands of others across the nation in recent months. It demands judgment against the defendants as well as monetary damages.

The state of Kentucky is also challenging opioid manufacturers in court over their effect on its own epidemic. The following health systems and their hospitals are issuing the lawsuit: Warren County Community Hospital Corporation; The Medical Center at Clinton County; The Medical Center at Franklin; Tug Valley ARH Health Services; Highlands Hospital Corporation; Baptist Healthcare System; Baptist Health Madisonville; Grayson County Hospital Foundation; The Harrison Memorial Hospital; Pikeville Medical Center; Saint Elizabeth Medical Center; St. Claire Medical Center; and Taylor County Hospital District Health Facilities Corporation.

Among the drug makers being sued are: Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Cephalon, Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Abbott Laboratories, Depomed, Endo Health Solutions, CVS Health Corporation, CVS Pharmacy, Inc., Walgreen Company, Walgreen Eastern Company, Wal-Mart, and certain members of the Sackler family.

Earlier, Kentucky received a $31.5 million federal grant to combat the opioid epidemic from the US Department of Health and Human Services.

“Kentucky is leading the national response to the devastating opioid epidemic, and the federal resources announced today will reinforce their life-saving work,” said Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky as he announced the grant. “As Senate Majority Leader, I helped ensure these funds are directed to the hardest-hit states, including Kentucky, where they can have the greatest impact."

It was in 2017 that President Donald Trump declared the national opioid crisis as a public health emergency. Millions of dollars in grants have been aimed at ending the crisis since then.

If someone in the family is struggling with opioid or alcohol addiction, it is important to seek help. A combination of medical detox and behavioral therapy can go a long way in the fight against drug abuse. But because every individual is affected by addiction differently, a comprehensive program tailored to their specific needs is necessary. Look for a nearby addiction treatment facility today and find out how drug treatment programs work.