Suffolk County, New York, Sues Prescription Opioid Makers For Public Costs Of Addiction

Suffolk County, New York sued five pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and market prescription opioids, alleging that the organizations were responsible for public health costs associated with opioid addiction. The county seeks compensatory and punitive damages for its spending to combat the opioid addiction crisis, claiming it was created by the drug companies’ deceptive marketing campaigns, which misrepresented the safety of long-term opioid use. No hearing date has been set yet.

The complaint, County of Suffolk v. Purdue Pharma, et al., was filed in New York State Supreme Court on August 31, 2016. The complaint names Perdue Pharma Inc.; Teva . . .