Kentucky’s attorney general is taking another opioid distributor to court. Andy Beshear has now filed four lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies which he says are responsible for an influx of addictive painkillers into the state.
In a news conference on Thursday, Beshear announced that he is suing AmerisourceBergen for what he alleges are deceptive business practices that have flooded the commonwealth with opioids. In the lawsuit filed in Floyd Circuit Court, Beshear accuses the company of violating laws that require pharmaceutical companies to notify law enforcement of suspiciously large volumes of opioids coming into the state.
"Thirty percent of the market is creating 400, 500 opioids for every man, woman, and child over a short period of time," stated Beshear.
West Virginia’s attorney general recently settled similar claims with AmerisourceBergan for $16 million.
Beshear also has lawsuits pending against other opioid distributors, including Endo Pharmaceuticals, McKesson Corporation, and Cardinal Health. Money recovered from any settlements with the companies would go into a fund for drug treatment.