South Dakota Sues Opioid Makers As Litigation Swells

South Dakota on Wednesday sued three major drugmakers, accusing them of deceptively marketing prescription opioids and contributing to a nationwide epidemic. Marty Jackley, the state’s attorney general, announced civil claims against Purdue Pharma LP, a unit of Endo International Plc and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen unit. The lawsuit makes South Dakota at least the 16th U.S. state to sue manufacturers over opioids, which can be used to treat pain. Jackley said the drugmakers have violated Medicaid fraud laws and state deceptive trade laws, and created a public nuisance by spreading false information about opioids’ risks and benefits.