Just two weeks ago, I talked about how Orange County was filing a lawsuit against some pharmaceutical companies for unethically pushing sales of painkillers and other prescription drugs. Now, I am finding out that Chicago is also filing a lawsuit against the same companies for the same reasons.
Just as with the lawsuit coming out of Orange County, the lawsuit that Chicago has filed claims that these companies have purposely covered up all the dangers that come with painkillers just so they can make money off of sales.
This is now something that is not just impacting my hometown of Orange County, but is now impacting the third largest city in the country. Can you imagine where else this might be taking place?
Right now, a lot of the blame is being put on major pharmaceutical companies for keeping the prescription drug epidemic going. I personally feel that there is some truth to that, but I know that this is not the only thing driving this epidemic, and it’s important to understand that.
There are tons of doctors out there who have been influenced by companies such as those listed in the lawsuit, and actually feel as though they are providing a solid product to their patients. There are other doctors who know better, but are looking to turn a buck. And of course, there are plenty of doctors who are aware that these drugs are dangerous and only prescribe them when necessary after taking as many precautions as possible.
On the other hand, there are people out there who are going to look for prescription drugs wherever they can get them, and that is not the fault of a pharmaceutical company. At the same time, some people place all of their trust in their doctors and big pharmaceutical companies and feel that anything they get through them must be safe, which isn’t always the case.
Working at a treatment facility (and having attended many in the past), I know one thing – actions speak louder than words. Opioids like prescription painkillers are taking over and have been for some time – regardless of how people are getting their hands on them. Obviously, these two major lawsuits show huge instances of possible neglect on behalf of pharmaceutical companies, and its important that the right measures get taken to put an stop to this – even if it is only one part of the problem. Any kind of way that we can take action or raise awareness is what is most important.
