HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A Huntington lawyer representing scores of communities, including Cabell County, in challenging opioid manufacturers says he wants “a reckoning” for the drug crisis affecting his community and others across the country.
“The origins and the fueling of this epidemic were manmade, and they were made by people who made decisions that are just unforgivable,” Paul Farrell said on Tuesday’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
“I want the world to understand what they did to our hometown and what the longterm consequences are. This is not something they can run from.”
Thousands of communities are arguing the nation’s top drug companies acted improperly by shipping pills to various communities, thus starting and fanning the national opioid crisis.
Two Ohio counties announced Monday a settlement with distributors McKesson Corp., AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health, as well as manufacturer Teva Pharmaceuticals. The announcement came before the trial was set to begin in a federal courtroom in Cleveland.
Farrell said there was an effort to settle the case on Friday, but his clients want a legal proceeding after waiting 22 months for their case to be heard.
“We have communicated in as blunt language as we can that they sold 10 million pills of opium into our hometown every year for 15 years,” Farrell said. “They broke it, and now they have to fix it.”
Farrell said there is evidence showing irresponsibility by drug companies, noting internal documents detailing how company officials were aware of significant shipments to Huntington pharmacies.
“The amount of pills they sent was unforgivable,” he said.
According to Farrell, 50 attorneys general are working on a settlement in which West Virginia would receive 0.5% of funds needed for recovery efforts.
“Based on population,” Farrell said of the funding proposal. He noted West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is opposed to the idea.
“We’re going to take those communities that are underserved, those that are most impacted and we’re going to fix them first,” Farrell added.
Huntington Mayor Steve Williams said Monday he is opposed to a settlement as well.