Over 200 have died from opioids in recent years. Horry County wants drug companies to pay
Horry County has filed a lawsuit against dozens of drug manufacturers, sales representatives and doctors, claiming the opioid-prescribing rate is contributing to overdose deaths in the county.
Sixty-six drug manufacturers and doctors are named in the suit, including CVS Pharmacy, Walgreen Co., Johnson & Johnson, Walmart Stores, Inc. and Sackler family members who operate Purdue Pharma L.P. Horry County is the only plaintiff in the case. The county said 97.1 prescriptions per 100 people were prescribed in 2017, and that same year there were 77 opioid-involved overdose deaths in the county.
The defendants named were negligent, had negligent misrepresentation and a public nuisance, according to the lawsuit.
“The opioid prescribing rate, which is the number of opioid prescriptions dispensed per 100 persons, is another indicator of the extent of the opioid problem in Horry County,” the lawsuit reads.
In 2015, 121.9 prescriptions per 100 people were prescribed and the prescribing rate in 2016 was 110.7 per 100 people in Horry County, the suit states.
According to the lawsuit, 49 people died in connection to opioid-involved overdose deaths in 2014, 78 in 2015, and 101 in 2016. County personnel administered naloxone, also known as Narcan, 376 times in 2014, 509 times in 2015 and 1,020 in 2016, the lawsuit states.
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, run by parent company Johnson & Johnson, released a statement via email, stating: “Our actions in the marketing and promotion of these important prescription pain medications were appropriate and responsible. The FDA-approved labels for these prescription pain medications provide clear information about their risks and benefits. The allegations made against our company are baseless and unsubstantiated. In fact, since 2008, our opioid medications have accounted for less than one percent of the U.S. market for this class of medications (including generics). Opioid abuse and addiction are serious public health issues. We are committed to being part of the ongoing dialogue and to doing our part to find ways to address this crisis.”
Walgreens declined to comment on pending litigation.
The Sun News has reached out to drug manufacturers for comment.
This story was originally published May 7, 2019 at 11:17 AM.
