We’ll See About That –
JULY 29, 2019 – Big Pharma is facing hundreds of lawsuits in nearly every state over its role in fueling overdose deaths, now that it is clear that companies were aware of the harm of the opioids they were manufacturing and marketing. These lawsuits apply the same legal theory that extracted a $246 billion settlement from Big Tobacco in the ’90s for deceiving the public and hiding the full extent of the health risks associated with smoking cigarettes. Governments are paying out billions of dollars to treat an epidemic of addiction that was sparked, in part, by the widespread use and promotion of prescription opioids, and these companies that raked in billions of dollars should foot the bill. This time, rather than treating smoking-related illnesses like cancer, governments are shelling out billions of dollars on expensive drugs that prevent overdoses and treat addiction. Big Pharma, the plaintiffs argue, should pay up.
