Kentucky AG files fourth opioid crisis lawsuit

Kentucky's Attorney General on March 8 filed a lawsuit against AmerisourceBergen, alleging the drug distributor engaged in deceptive business practices related to the overdistribution of opioids in the state.

The suit is the fourth of its kind filed by Attorney General Andy Beshear, accusing a drug company of contributing to Kentucky's opioid crisis. The three other legal actions targeted drug distributors Cardinal Health and McKesson Corp., as well as drugmaker Endo International.

"We must stop these large supplies of opioids fueling addiction in so many of our communities," Mr. Beshear said. "One way to do that is to continue to drag these billion-dollar opioid distributors into Kentucky court to seek damages for their irresponsible actions."

AmerisourceBergen said it provides daily distribution order reports to the Drug Enforcement Administration and is committed to mitigating the diversion of prescription opioids, according to a statement obtained by Reuters,

The lawsuit alleges the drug distributor shipped an estimated 9,508,971 opioid doses from 2010 through 2016 into Bell County. The total amounts to 340 opioid doses for every man, woman and child in the county.

More articles on opioids: 
80% of DC's opioid-related deaths occur in black community 
1 judge, 400 opioid lawsuits: 4 notes on his unconventional judicial approach 
'Heroin in pill form' — Philadelphia DOH's new ad campaign urges patients to stay away from prescription painkillers 

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