A New York state county on May 11 filed a lawsuit against four major drugmakers for their role in the opioid epidemic, reports Reuters.
Here are five things to know.
1. Orange County alleges the drugmakers used deceptive marketing practices to downplay the risk of prescription painkillers to physicians, pharmacists and patients.
2. Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, along with units of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Endo International, are named as defendants in the lawsuit, according to the report.
3. The lawsuit claims the fraudulent marketing practices drove up addiction rates in Orange County, increasing healthcare, criminal justice and other costs associated with addiction.
4. The 379,000-person county reported 943 emergency department admissions related to opioids in 2014. The following year, the county saw 44 opioid overdose deaths, according to the report.
5. Endo and Teva declined Reuters' request for comment. Johnson & Johnson called the allegations "unfounded," adding that its medications carry warnings mandated by the Food and Drug Administration, according to the report. Purdue told Reuters it shares health officials' concern over the opioid epidemic and said it's "committed to working collaboratively to find solutions."