City commissioners in Delray Beach have voted unanimously this week to retain an attorney and file a lawsuit again Big Pharma. Commissioners say saying the companies should shoulder much of the blame for the opioid crisis.
“The human toll of this is something you can’t calculate,” said Delray Beach Mayor Cary Glickstein. “But the financial side of this is something that is calculable.”
Glickstein said the city has spent more than $3 million responding to and treating people who have overdosed as a result of misuse of opioids.
Restitution sought
“The lawsuit is looking for restitution,” he said. “There’s compensatory damages. There’s punitive damages.”
The mayor said Big Pharma has been telling patients their drugs were not addictive, allowing people to get hooked.
Purdue Pharma denies responsibility
One company mayor Glickstein specifically mentioned is Purdue Pharma. The company told WPBF 25 News in a statement that they’re not to blame:
“While we vigorously deny the allegations in the complaint, we share the officials’ concerns about the opioid crisis. We are committed to working collaboratively to find solutions. OxyContin accounts for less than 2 percent of the opioid analgesic prescription market nationally, but we are an industry leader in the development of abuse-deterrent technology. We are also advocating for the use of prescription drug monitoring programs and supporting access to Naloxone – all important components for combating the opioid crisis.”
The City of Delray Beach’s lawsuit has not yet been filed but is currently in the process of being prepared by city announcements.
The city is also contemplating file lawsuits against other people and entities involved with opioids, including insurance companies and doctors.
