In Opioid Court Battle, A Nationwide Settlement Could Be Years Away Or Even A Pipe Dream. So What Happens In The Meantime?
The opioid crisis is still claiming 100 lives a day, and yet it's unclear if states, counties or local governments will see money from drugmakers anytime soon. And even the most optimistic projections in a possible nationwide settlement would be a drop in the bucket for what it would cost states to tackle the epidemic. Experts say the country will be dealing with the fallout for decades to come.
The Washington Post:
How Much Money Will It Take To Undo The Damage From Opioids?
Inside the plaintiffs’ war room, bleary-eyed, caffeinated lawyers worked on what would be one of the most important cases of their careers — the first bellwether trial in the national opioid litigation against the country’s biggest drug companies. Their rented office space across from the federal courthouse was crammed with copy machines, boxes of documents, whiteboards and — to capture the gravity of the work — some World War II-era propaganda posters. (Achenbach, Bernstein, Kornfield, Higham and Horwitz, 10/30)
In other news on the crisis —
Colorado Public Radio:
Colorado Lawmaker’s Latest Ideas To Take On Opioids Need About $17M
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers wants a little budget help as Colorado tackles the opioid epidemic. There are five different measures on the table for the next state budget, including money for housing assistance for people coming out of recovery. The proposed cost is nearly $17 million. (Birkeland, 10/30)
The Wall Street Journal:
Startups Offer Apps, Digital Tools To Provide Addiction Care
Startups are designing new tools and services that are intended to make access to addiction care easier. With millions of people battling substance abuse and not receiving treatment, venture-backed companies aim to lower those barriers by opening treatment centers and providing online services. They include CleanSlate Centers Inc., which operates outpatient treatment centers in 11 states, and startups that provide digital-treatment programs such as DynamiCare Health Inc. (Gormley, 10/30)
