Allergan sues Pfizer over opioid crisis lawsuits

Allergan, and others such as Purdue Pharma, could be forced make huge pay-outs to resolve lawsuits in which the opioid drug makers have been accused of misleading the public and creating a national health crisis. Allergan have been accused of improperly marketing the opioid painkiller Kadian in allegations dating back to the mid-1990s. Bloomberg Intelligence have estimated that settlements could total $50 billion, as the plaintiff’s lawyers have compared the situation to the one faced by tobacco companies during the latter half of the 20th century.

However, Allergan, who acquired the morphine based drug Kadian in 2008, have claimed that the alleged offences occurred before they acquired the opioid painkiller. As such the company are suing Pfizer, whose subsidiary King Pharmaceuticals have been blamed for improperly marketing the opioid drug.

Nevertheless Pfizer have announced that they reject any responsibility and that they will not compensate Allergan. The pharma giant announced in a statement: "Allergan’s claims relate to a product that Pfizer never manufactured, marketed or sold. Instead, they arise from a historical 2008 contract belonging to King Pharmaceuticals, a company we acquired in 2010."

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