San Francisco's Long-awaited Opioid Trial Begins

San Francisco's Long-awaited Opioid Trial Begins

Introduction

San Franciso's long-awaited opioid lawsuit alleging the drugmakers and distributors of creating a public nuisance and fueling the opioid crisis has finally begun in the federal court.

Justice Charles R. Breyer is overlooking the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The lawsuit alleges that the drugs distributors, manufacturers and pharmacies used illicit strategies to boost the opioids sales resulting in the opioid crisis. The defendants in the lawsuit include Walgreens, Allergan Pharmaceutical Company, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Anda Inc. and Endo Pharmaceutical Company.

The attorney representing the city claimed that the companies should be held responsible for the widespread public nuisance and public emergency. The attorney even provided relevant statistics to support his arguments where he argued that San Francisco witnessed roughly 163 million prescription opiates which count to 22 pills each for every man, woman and child. 25 percent of all emergency room visits to the San Francisco General are opioid-related. The statistics even reported that the overdose cases increased by 478 percent from 2015 to 2020, and double the number of people died from opioid overdoses than died from COVID-19 in 2020.

Fentanyl which is often adulterated in illegal street drugs, is also the result of many overdose deaths in recent years. Earlier on April 6, the Drug Enforcement Administration warned federal, state, and local law enforcement about the nationwide spike in mass overdose deaths due to fentanyl.

The defendants are accused of violating the Controlled Substance Act and the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act. The attorney has even sued the companies over unfair business practices, fraud, making false statements and misleading the public.

Earlier, Endo settled with the plaintiffs from San Francisco by agreeing to pay $10 million for dealing with the crisis. $5 million of the settlement amount would be paid immediately to the city, and the remaining $5 million would be paid over ten years.