Everett rebuts OxyContin makers call to have suit dismissed
EVERETT — The city of Everett is firing back at the maker of the prescription pain medication OxyContin, arguing that the drug company is trying to rewrite history in an attempt to kill a lawsuit that alleges the manufacturer chased profits while ignoring black-market diversion of its addictive product.
In a civil case filed in January in U.S. District Court, Everett alleges that Purdue Pharma for years knowingly allowed Oxycontin to reach drug traffickers and doctors who ran “pill mills.”
That alleged business model planted the seeds for what health officials now say is an epidemic of opioid addiction and deaths in Snohomish County, city officials contend.
The multibillion-dollar drug company countered in March, seeking the lawsuit’s dismissal. Among other things, Purdue insists it had alerted law enforcement about the drug’s misuse. It also questions whether Everett has legal standing to bring the case.
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