SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (KCAU) — The City of South Sioux City has joined in a lawsuit against the deceptive marketing and distribution of the opioid painkiller, oxycontin.
McKinsey & Company is a consulting firm that was hired by the manufacturer Purdue Pharma to increase the sales of oxycontin. There are many federal suits filed against McKinsey from cities, schools, and tribes across the U.S.
According to the South Sioux City administrator, Lance Hedquist, the lawsuit can provide thousands of dollars in compensation for the damage done by McKinsey’s advertisements.
“To continue efforts to recupe some of that money that those entities made and then apply that money to help police to thwart other people from using drugs in our community as well as to treat people,” said Hedquist.
According to South Sioux City Police Chief, Ed Mahon, the police department has seen a slow increase of opioids in South Sioux City in the past few years. Chief Mahon said officers receive roughly ten opioid related calls a year, but mentioned that the lawsuit can help the department achieve their goal of a safer community and lower those opioid related calls.
“So what this lawsuit would enable us to do is try to do more prevention, more training, things that can positively impact people not getting into it in the first place. And I am very pleased and proud that the city would join in and try and get the funds to make a proactive step, rather than a reactive step after they’re here or responding to the tragic overdose of anybody,” said Chief Mahon.
Hedquist said the city wanted to make sure the community is protected from the dangers of opioid drugs.
“Our big goal for the city is to have a community that’s safe, that we aren’t marketing products that are of concern to the health of our citizens. We’re here to protect the interest of our citizens and that’s a goal that we should always want. And it’s a goal for our citizens to not have to be concerned about drugs that maybe in our system,” said Hedquist.
The lawsuit alleges McKinsey and drug companies knew the dangers of oxycontin, but still continued marketing false and misleading information pertaining to the dangers of opioid use.
