New Brunswick's health minister says the provincial government is considering launching or joining a lawsuit to recover some of the costs associated with opioid use. Benoit Bourque claims that in the past 11 years, 241 New Brunswickers died from accidental overdoses, while visits to the provinces ERs increased 10-fold over the past five years. He adds that there's evidence pharmaceutical companies and distributors exacerbated the opioid crisis through their business practices and the provincial government is looking at how to hold them accountable for healthcare expenses related to opioid use. Meanwhile, the New Brunswick Medical Society says it supports the province's move.
Related News:
Le gouvernement étudie la possibilité d’intenter une poursuite reliée aux effets néfastes des opioïdes - Gouvernement du Nouveau-Brunswick
New Brunswick mulls lawsuit to recoup health-care costs over opioid crisis - Globe and Mail (sub. req.)
Opioïdes: le Nouveau-Brunswick songe à poursuivre l'industrie pharmaceutique - LaPresse.ca
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