Tribes sue big-pharma over opioid harm

The Colville Tribes have filed a lawsuit against major manufacturers of opioids, alleging devastating health effects on tribal communities resulting from the drugs.

A May 10 press release from the tribes detailed the lawsuit, saying that “the Tribes has sued over 25 opioid-industry defendants in the action, which seeks both compensation for costs associated with the epidemic and injunctive relief.”

“The Tribes’ complaint,” the press release says, “asserts claims against the defendants for allegedly marketing prescription opioids in a manner that fraudulently concealed and minimized their abuse and addiction risks, and failing to comply with federal prescription drug laws intended to prevent the diversion of prescription opioids and prevent their abuse.”

“The Colville Reservation has seen enormous devastation to our people due to opioid addiction,” Chairman Rodney Cawston said. “We intend to hold these companies accountable for the great harm we have experienced here.”

The release cites data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that says between 1999 and 2015, drug overdose deaths rose by more that 500 percent among Native Americans, higher for Native Americans than other races.

“The prescription opioid crisis has led to fentanyl and heroin use, resulting in further devastation within Native communities,” the release says.

“Unfortunately Native people have suffered disproportionately in this epidemic,” Cawston said. “We have joined with other Tribes across the country demanding justice for their people.”

Defendants in the case include pharmaceutical manufacturers Purdue Pharma L.P., Teva Pharmaceuticals, and Allergan PLC, pharmaceutical distributors McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health Inc., and AmerisourceBergen Corp., and retail pharmacy chains such as CVS and Walgreens. The Colville Tribes’ complaint against these defendants was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.