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21 <br />manufacturers of opioids such as Purdue Pharma, Teva, Endo, Cephalon, and Janssen may also be <br />liable for opioid - related damages. <br />Distributor Defendants: <br />The three largest pharmaceutical distributors, the "Big Three," are McKesson Corp., <br />Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen. 2016 revenues for each were approximately $147 billion, <br />$97 billion, and $133 billion, respectively. The Big Three are all members of HDA, and their <br />presidents and CEOs sit on the HDA Executive Committee and Board. <br />The Big Three have been subject to heavy fines and/or investigation for their failure to <br />monitor for and report suspicious orders. in January 2017, McKesson entered into an agreement <br />with the DEA in which they agreed to pay $150 million in settlement payments for failing to <br />maintain effective controls against diversion of controlled substances. This specifically included <br />the failure to report to the DEA suspicious orders of controlled substances. In May of 2012, <br />Cardinal Health entered into an agreement with the DEA where they resolved allegations that they <br />failed to maintain effective controls against the diversion of controlled substances by failing to <br />detect and report suspicious orders relating to their distribution center in Lakeland, Florida, and in <br />December of 2016, Cardinal Health agreed to pay a civil penalty of $34 million relating to this <br />conduct. AmerisourceBergen has not yet paid any civil penalties to the DEA, but it has been <br />subjected to similar allegations. <br />Manufacturer Defendants: <br />Manufacturers of opioids who may be responsible for damages to cities and counties include <br />Purdue Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Janssen Phannaceuticals, Endo Health Solutions, Cephalon, <br />and Allergan. These companies are all in business of manufacturing opioid pain medication such as <br />oxycodone, hydrocodone, or fentanyl. <br />In addition to failing to report suspicious orders of opioids, as detailed above, it is also <br />widely documented that all of these entities played a role in increasing the consumer demand for <br />opioids by falsely advertising the risks of addiction associated with these drugs. In fact, Purdue <br />Pharma has paid over $600 million in fines related to allegations of misbranding its best - selling <br />drug, OxyContin. <br />Causes of Action: <br />Public Nuisance <br />There is no doubt that the overbearing presence of opioids plaguing cities and counties can <br />be described as a public nuisance. The Restatement Second, Torts § 821B in part defines public <br />nuisance as conduct that "involves a significant interference with the public health...." The conduct <br />of the distributor and manufacturer defendants had a devastating effect on public health, safety and <br />welfare and they should be required to fund the measures necessary to abate the nuisance. <br />R <br />