Wayne County files lawsuit against drug distributors

WAYNE — The Wayne County Commission has filed a federal lawsuit against nine drug wholesalers who sent 8 million doses of hydrocodone and oxycodone to Wayne County pharmacies between 2007 and 2012.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday against AmerisourceBergen Drug Co., Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp., Top R.X., Rite Aid, CVS, SAJ Distributors and Wal-Mart.

It alleges the drug firms breached their duty to monitor, detect, investigate, refuse and report suspicious orders of prescription opiates originating from within the county, a duty the lawsuit claims companies had under the Controlled Substance Act of 1970.

Attorneys from the law firm of Greene Ketchum, Woelfel & Woelfel and Powell & Majestro argue data from the National Center for Health Statistics show the United States experienced a drug poising death rate of 14.8 per 100,000 citizens in 2014. Wayne County’s drug poisoning rate was 43.8 per 100,000, and has consistently been higher than the national average, according to the lawsuit.

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