In the latest move in the war against opioid addiction in Tennessee, now five more District Attorneys General have filed suit against opioid manufacturers, saying they misled doctors into thinking their drugs weren't addictive.
The lawsuit, totaling more than 100 pages, incorporates the DA's serving 19 mid-state counties suing opioid manufacturers.
The lawsuit alleges drug companies and their pharmaceutical reps lied to doctors, saying newer opioid medications weren't addictive, calling the addiction epidemic "the results of a concerted effort... to mislead doctors and the public about the need for, and addictive nature of, opioid drugs."
"You have patients who come in, and the doctor prescribes the drug based on the assurances of the pharmaceutical rep and the drug company," said District Attorney General Jennings Jones, who presides over Rutherford and Cannon County.
One of the drug companies involved in the lawsuit has said they deny the allegations the District Attorney Generals are making, but couldn't comment further on pending litigation.
