Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The Middletown Board of Supervisors voted Monday night to join Bensalem in planned litigation against pharmaceutical companies for their part in the opioid epidemic.
The basis of the Bensalem case, as outlined by the Middletown solicitor Joseph Pizzo, is that pharmaceutical companies downplayed the addictive nature of opioids in treating chronic pain. In painting the class of drugs as an easy fix, they helped to open the door up widely for the epidemic ravaging Lower Bucks County.
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The price associated with combating the epidemic continue to mount in the form of first responding costs and other costs. The resolution passed on Monday night frees up the township to pursue litigation, which could reimburse some of the funds spent locally.
The likely courses of action include Middletown signing on to Bensalem’s potential lawsuit, joining other towns in a separate legal action or Middletown filing their own lawsuit against the companies.
There will be more information regarding the suit at the board’s next meeting, township officials said.
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Bensalem was the first Pennsylvania municipality to announce plans to file a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies. However, governments in other states have moved forward with similar lawsuits.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s office is working with other states to investigate “whether manufacturers have engaged in unlawful practices in the marketing and sale of opioids.”
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