Jasper County joins opioid litigation effort

To help battle the rapid rise of opioid use, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors approved joining a state and nationwide litigation effort. Led by Crueger Dickson and Simmons Hanly Conroy litigation teams, the move was encouraged by the Iowa State Association of Counties.

“This is a very important issue for Iowa counties, as all entities expend significant resources in fighting this terrible problem,” ISAC Executive Director William Peterson said in a letter to the board. “There is a potential for litigation against certain pharmaceutical companies to hold them responsible for their role in creating the opioid epidemic.”

In researching the issue, the law firms found the number of opioids dispensed in the United States quadrupled between 1999 and 2013. Those sales came from pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and sell opioids including Prude, Teva, Janssen, Cephalon and Endo with opioid sales generating nearly $10 billion in revenue in 2015 alone.

In March 2016, the Federal Drug Administration recognized opioid abuse as “public health crisis” that has a “profound impact on individuals, families and communities across our country.” For Jasper County, thousands of unexpected and unbudgeted time and resources have been spent for related programs and services dealing with opioid abuse.

In joining the effort, the county will have no out-of-pocket costs with the law firms working on a contingent fee basis where the firms would not be compensated unless the county receives a financial benefit as a result of the proposed claims. The county will participate by providing information and materials involving the matter to the law firms.

“It would affect us, we would have to do some research to determine inmate costs that were related to opioid overdose or treatment,” Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty said. “I think long term, we would have to do some work and research to submit numbers and costs in order to get, if there is a settlement, and we’re willing to do that.”

The litigation opportunity was first introduced to the board in December. At that time, there were less than five counties who had decided to participate in the efforts and the board wanted county attorney Mike Jacobsen to further research the matter.

“There are now 30-some counties that are participating in the opioid litigation,” auditor Dennis Parrott said. “Mike felt like sending our support would be a good thing to do.”

In the information provided to the county by the law firms, it states it is very important to coordinate efforts among counties as the entities will face a well-financed, well-funded and coordinated defense from the pharmaceutical companies. Unless a “critical mass of counties” not only file suit but coordinate efforts, it is a safe bet the companies will continue to fight each individual case with looking for a resolution to the epidemic.

Employee & Family Resources of Iowa was also awarded the Iowa Department of Public Health’s Strategic Prevention Framework Opioid Prevention Grant for Jasper County. The grant provides funding to help prevent the progression of opioid substance abuse within the state of Iowa and is be utilized by the Jasper County Substance Abuse Coalition.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com