Fulton County officials filed a lawsuit on Monday against multiple drugmakers, drug distributors and physicians for their alleged role in facilitating high rates of opioid overdoses in the Georgia county, according to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
While similar lawsuits have been filed by counties, cities and states around the country, the Fulton County suit marks the first such legal action in Georgia.
"Fulton County has experienced economic costs directly related to the opioid epidemic, including Medicaid costs, law enforcement, judicial, foster care, Narcan costs, loss of productivity and various other costs directly caused by the actions of the defendants," said the lawsuit, according to the report. "[Fulton County has spent] millions of dollars each year in its efforts to combat the public nuisance created by Defendants' deceptive marketing campaign."
With 61 deaths tallied so far, Fulton County has experienced more opioid-related overdose deaths than any other county in the state this year. In 2016, there were 154 such deaths. In 2015, there were 104.
To see a full list of defendants and read the Journal-Constitution's report in its entirety, click here.
More articles on opioids:
AHA launches toolkit to address opioid epidemic
McKesson supports declaration of opioid epidemic as national emergency
FDA Commissioner: Due to previous inaction by the FDA, combating the opioid crisis will 'be far more dramatic'