Ohio AG sues opioid distribution companies

COLUMBUS

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine filed a lawsuit today against four major prescription opioid distributors.

The lawsuit, filed in Madison County Common Pleas Court, alleges that the companies failed to provide effective controls against opioids being diverted for improper use.

“They knew the amount of opioids allowed to flow into Ohio far exceeded what could be consumed for medically-necessary purposes, but they did nothing to stop it,” DeWine said.

The distributors are McKesson Corporation of San Francisco; Cardinal Health Inc. of Dublin, Ohio; AmerisourceBergen of Conshohocken, Penn.; and Miami-Luken Inc. of Springboro, Ohio.

The lawsuit argues the companies failed to report suspicious orders to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the Ohio Board of Pharmacy.

It seeks punitive damages and compensatory damages for costs incurred by Ohio for increased expenditures due to the opioid epidemic.