Chicago sues 3 drug distributors over opioid crisis

CHICAGO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. city of Chicago on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the country's top three distributors of opioids for their role in the public health crisis caused by the rampant over-prescribing and abuse of pharmaceutical opioids.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court, accused AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation, Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corporation for their "unfettered and unlawful distribution of opioids into the city."

The big three account for about 90 percent of all revenues from prescription drug distribution in the United States and dominate the wholesale drug distribution market, including in Chicago, according to a news release from the office of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

The City of Chicago alleged that the three distributors violated state and federal laws by delivering "unreasonable quantities" of opioids, a class of highly addictive narcotic painkillers.

"The oversupply of these highly potent and highly addictive painkillers has led to a dramatic rise in drug addiction and overdose in communities across the nation," said Mayor Emanuel.

"Chicago is continuing our legal fight to end irresponsible practices and hold companies accountable for their deceptive actions that cause serious damage to individuals, families and neighborhoods, and has helped fuel the heroin epidemic in Chicago," he added.

Chicago authorities insist that these companies have a responsibility under state and federal law to exercise due diligence to prevent the illicit distribution of pharmaceuticals and yet "they failed to reject or report suspicious orders and placed profits over public health."

This lawsuit follows the city's 2014 litigation against opioid manufacturers, which the federal court in December combined into multi-district litigation with suits brought by other jurisdictions around the country.

The United States is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioids, including prescription opioids, heroin and fentanyl, killed more than 42,000 people in 2016.

Official data also show that 40 percent of all opioid overdose deaths in the country involve a prescription opioid.

In 2017, first responders from Chicago's fire department had to treat 7,527 people with naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication.

The opioid overdose epidemic has prompted U.S. federal and local authorities to launch campaigns with a series of measures to save threatened lives. Enditem