Opioid crisis: Quebec wants to join B.C. in its collective action
QUEBEC — The Quebec government intends to introduce a bill in the coming days to allow it to join the class action lawsuit filed by British Columbia against more than 40 pharmaceutical companies accused of trivializing the harmful effects of opioids.
The information was confirmed to The Canadian Press by a source familiar with the matter.
In 2018, British Columbia filed a class action lawsuit against 40 pharmaceutical companies on behalf of the federal, provincial and territorial governments. British Columbia passed the Opioid Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act to support its action. This legislation states that the province can take a class action on behalf of the federal and provincial governments.
With the exception of Quebec, Yukon and Nunavut, the majority of Canadian provinces have laws similar to those of British Columbia. These laws allow their government to be included in class action initiated by another province.
Hence the Quebec government's desire to pass such a law.
"Although the class action was brought by British Columbia on behalf of the federal, provincial and territorial governments, the adoption of legislation similar to that taken by British Columbia makes it possible to promote the application by the court of legal regimes adapted to the situation and similar for all," says the spokesperson for the Quebec Ministry of Health,
Marie-Claude Lacasse, in an email to The Canadian Press.
$85 billion claimed
British Columbia alleges that the manufacturers misrepresented the risk of opioid dependence. In particular, they failed to mention side effects and withdrawal symptoms.
Distributors are also blamed for allowing the market to be flooded with opioids, contributing to
the crisis we are currently experiencing across the country.
Thus, $85 billion is claimed. We want to get these amounts to offset the health care costs associated with the crisis.
A $150 million settlement was reached between Purdue Pharma Canada and all governments in June 2022.
"Last year (July 2022 to June 2023), 525 deaths were linked to suspected opioid or other drug poisoning. In addition, this is without counting the many other damages related to the opioid crisis (health risks and hospitalizations, addiction, overdoses, social problems, STBBIs, etc.)," says the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in her letter.
In Canada, there were more than 38,000 apparent opioid-related deaths between January 2016 and March 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic could have contributed to exacerbating this crisis.
The information was confirmed to The Canadian Press by a source familiar with the matter.
In 2018, British Columbia filed a class action lawsuit against 40 pharmaceutical companies on behalf of the federal, provincial and territorial governments. British Columbia passed the Opioid Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act to support its action. This legislation states that the province can take a class action on behalf of the federal and provincial governments.
With the exception of Quebec, Yukon and Nunavut, the majority of Canadian provinces have laws similar to those of British Columbia. These laws allow their government to be included in class action initiated by another province.
Hence the Quebec government's desire to pass such a law.
"Although the class action was brought by British Columbia on behalf of the federal, provincial and territorial governments, the adoption of legislation similar to that taken by British Columbia makes it possible to promote the application by the court of legal regimes adapted to the situation and similar for all," says the spokesperson for the Quebec Ministry of Health,
Marie-Claude Lacasse, in an email to The Canadian Press.
$85 billion claimed
British Columbia alleges that the manufacturers misrepresented the risk of opioid dependence. In particular, they failed to mention side effects and withdrawal symptoms.
Distributors are also blamed for allowing the market to be flooded with opioids, contributing to
the crisis we are currently experiencing across the country.
Thus, $85 billion is claimed. We want to get these amounts to offset the health care costs associated with the crisis.
A $150 million settlement was reached between Purdue Pharma Canada and all governments in June 2022.
"Last year (July 2022 to June 2023), 525 deaths were linked to suspected opioid or other drug poisoning. In addition, this is without counting the many other damages related to the opioid crisis (health risks and hospitalizations, addiction, overdoses, social problems, STBBIs, etc.)," says the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in her letter.
In Canada, there were more than 38,000 apparent opioid-related deaths between January 2016 and March 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic could have contributed to exacerbating this crisis.
