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Ohio Governor: ‘No Doubt’ Drugmakers Caused Opioid Crisis
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says evidence made public over the past two weeks makes clear that drugmakers were responsible for the U.S. opioid crisis.
The Republican spoke Friday at a joint appearance with U.S. drug czar Jim Carroll, the president’s chief drug policy adviser. The two were highlighting record usage of Ohio’s prescription drug monitoring portal.
DeWine said troves of new documents made public in the massive series of lawsuits seeking to hold the pharmaceutical industry accountable for the deadly opioid epidemic “leave no doubt in anyone’s mind” drugmakers were to blame and urged them to quickly settle.
Drugmakers argue doctors, regulators and illegal drug sales played roles.
It was DeWine who filed Ohio’s lawsuit against certain drugmakers as attorney general. He said Friday’s comments weren’t about any particular suit.