Newly-released federal data show pharmaceutical companies delivered about 2.3 billion oxycodone and hydrocodone periods to Georgia pharmacies between 2007 and 2012. Pharmacies in Athens got 40 million of the pills in those five years.
Drew Hill is with the Athens law firm Blasingame, Burch, Garrard, and Ashley, which has sued the pharmaceutical industry on behalf of a number of cities and counties in Georgia. He says the numbers give them a leg up in their lawsuits against the opioid manufacturers.
The AJC reported on the opioid lawsuits in March of 2018.
Hall, Candler, Cook, Crisp, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Sumter and Walton counties have joined a lawsuit against opioid makers amid the nation’s deadly painkiller overdose epidemic.
Athens-Clarke County this week joined three other Georgia counties in suing drug makers and distributors, alleging they helped fuel the nation’s deadly opioid overdose epidemic through racketeering, deceptive trade practices and false advertising.