Pharma faces its big tobacco moment

Big pharma is having a big tobacco moment as litigation over opioids attract star lawyers and a growing list of US states and local governments seeking their own multi-billion payout to deal with costs of a burgeoning US drug epidemic.

South Carolina became the sixth US state to sue opioid makers alleging that they have created a public health crisis. The suit filed by Joe Rice, a plaintiff lawyer who helped negotiate a $246bn (€208.5bn) settlement with the tobacco industry in 1998, suggest states are laying the groundwork to force a resolution that provides billions to cover the costs of an epidemic blamed for 62 deaths per day.

“The more states they have signed up, the bigger their hammer when it comes time to decide who should be on the settlement negotiating committee,” said David Logan, a Roger Williams University law professor.