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Broward County Files Federal Lawsuit Against Opioid Drug Manufacturers

WLRN Public Media | By Caitlin Switalski
Published March 15, 2018 at 6:00 PM EDT
The Fort Lauderdale City Commission's special opioid meeting Tuesday is open to the public if you'd like to hear the presentations and discussion.
Franieleon via Flickr
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The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

Broward County filed a new lawsuit in federal court Monday against manufacturers of opioid drugs.

Walmart, Walgreens, the McKesson Corp. and CVS Health are just some of the drug makers and distributors Broward County is suing.  

 

Others include Johnson & Johnson, Cardinal Health Inc., Health Mart Systems, Mallinckrodt, Amerisourcebergen Corp., as well as Endo Janssen, Purdue, Cephalon and Teva Pharmaceuticals. The county accused the companies in the complaint of violating rhe Racketeer Influenced and and Corrupt Organizations Act, as well as the Florida Deceptive And Unfair Trade Practices Act, and others.  

Also Read: "We Can't Do Without It": First Responders Pay Soaring Price For Overdose Antidote Naloxone

Citing the opioid crisis as the reasoning for the suit, the county is also alleging other federal laws were violated by making and distributing opioid drugs like Fentanyl and OxyContin. 

In Broward County alone, there were more than 580 deaths due to opioid overdoses in 2017, which breaks down to more than 11 a week.

Broward County announced in the lawsuit that officials are seeking a jury trial.

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Health News Florida opioid crisisopioid abuseopioid addictionBroward County
Caitlin Switalski
Caitie Switalski is a rising senior at the University of Florida. She's worked for WFSU-FM in Tallahassee as an intern and reporter. When she's in Gainesville for school, Caitie is an anchor and producer for local Morning Edition content at WUFT-FM, as well as a digital editor for the station's website. Her favorite stories are politically driven, about how politicians, laws and policies effect local communities. Once she graduates with a dual degree in Journalism and English,Caitiehopes to make a career continuing to report and produce for NPR stations in the sunshine state. When she's not following what's happening with changing laws, you can catchCaitielounging in local coffee shops, at the beach, or watching Love Actually for the hundredth time.
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