Leggett Announces County Suit Against 14 Opioid Companies

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 7, 2018

County Executive Ike Leggett today announced that Montgomery County has filed a suit against companies that produce and distribute opioids, seeking reimbursement for County expenses in responding to the crisis and aiming to stop future deceptive and misleading marketing practices that have contributed to the growing epidemic.

 

The companies named in the suit, which was filed in federal district court, include: Purdue Pharma L.P. of Stamford, CT; Cephalon, Inc. of Frazer, PA; Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. of Israel; Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. of North Wales, PA; Endo International PLC of Ireland; Endo Health Solutions Inc. of Malvern, PA; Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Malvern, PA; Jansen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Raritan, NJ; Insys Therapeutics, Inc. of Chandler, AZ: Mallinckrodt PLC of the United Kingdom; Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals of St. Louis, MO; AmerisourceBergen Corporation of Chesterbrook, PA; Cardinal Health, Inc. of Dublin, OH; and McKesson Corporation of San Francisco, CA.

 

“The Opioid crisis is wreaking severe damage on individuals and communities throughout our great nation – and Montgomery County is not immune,” said County Executive Ike Leggett. “Just ask the first-responders in our Fire & Rescue Service and our Police. Ask our front-line personnel in Health & Human Services. We are talking about addiction, death, broken lives, and broken families.

 

“It is critical that we hold responsible those whose corporate actions have contributed to this crisis – for what has happened in the past, what is happening in the present and what we ought to stop from happening in the future.”

 

Leggett was joined at the news conference by Bethesda resident Helen Najar, who lost her daughter Kelly O’Connor to a 2016 overdose, as well as by other families affected by the crisis.

 

The lawsuit in being brought on a contingency basis on the County’s behalf by the firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP.

 

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Release ID: 18-439
Media Contact: Patrick Lacefield 240-777-6507