The following lawsuits were announced or filed since Dec. 8 by multiple counties, one state and a city. The suits seek to recover funds spent addressing widespread illicit opioid use in each community.
Plaintiffs named in the suits include drugmakers, drug distributors, individual physicians and pharmacy chains.
The lawsuits are listed below, beginning with the most recent.
1. Baltimore County to file opioid epidemic lawsuit against drugmakers, distributors
Baltimore County will file a lawsuit against drugmakers and drug distributors to recoup county funds expended in response to the opioid crisis, according to an announcement made by Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz Jan 8.
2. North Carolina county targets 24 drug companies with opioid lawsuit
An attorney representing Surry County filed a 165-page federal lawsuit Dec. 29, naming 24 drug manufacturers, distributors and their subsidiaries as defendants.
3. Chicago-area counties file opioid epidemic lawsuits: 3 things to know
Cook County and five other counties encompassing Chicago suburbs recently filed lawsuits against drugmakers for the companies' alleged roles in facilitating Illinois' opioid epidemic.
4. North Carolina AG accuses Insys of illegally pushing fentanyl, files lawsuit
Josh Stein, North Carolina's attorney general, filed a lawsuit Dec. 21 against Insys Therapeutics for allegedly conducting a deceptive marketing campaign to promote its fentanyl-based painkiller Subsys, which is meant to exclusively treat breakthrough cancer pain.
5. Tennessee county files federal opioid lawsuit against drug companies
Smith County is the first county in Tennessee to file a federal lawsuit against major drug companies seeking to recoup funds expended responding the community's opioid crisis.
6. Detroit and Macomb County file opioid epidemic lawsuit against drug companies, pharmacies
Attorneys representing Detroit and Macomb County filed a lawsuit Dec. 19 against multiple drugmakers, drug distributors and pharmacy chains for their alleged role in facilitating Michigan's opioid crisis.
7. Ohio's capital files opioid lawsuit against 25 drug companies
Columbus was the latest Ohio municipality to take legal action against drug companies to recoup city funds expended addressing the city's opioid crisis as of Dec. 19.
8. Pennsylvania County names 21 drug companies and 4 physicians in opioid epidemic lawsuit
York County, Pa., Solicitor Glenn Smith filed a lawsuit Dec. 8 against 21 drugmakers and drug distributors, and four individual physicians for their alleged roles in contributing to widespread opioid use in the county.