The Quebec government plans to introduce a bill soon to join a class action lawsuit initiated by British Columbia against over 40 pharmaceutical companies. The companies are accused of downplaying the harmful effects of opioids. This information was confirmed by a reliable source familiar with the matter, according to The Canadian Press.
The British Columbia lawsuit, which dates back to 2018, alleges that the manufacturers misrepresented the risk of addiction to opioids and failed to disclose side effects and withdrawal symptoms.
The lawsuit also implicates distributors for allowing opioids to flood the market, which has contributed to a nationwide addiction crisis. In response, Quebec passed a law called the “Opioid Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act,” which grants the province the authority to pursue class actions on behalf of the federal government and other provincial governments.
However, Quebec, Yukon, and Nunavut are the only provinces and territories without similar legislation, which means their governments are unable to join class action lawsuits initiated in other Canadian jurisdictions.
Marie-Claude Lacasse, spokesperson for the Quebec Department of Health, stated in an email that the adoption of legislation similar to that of British Columbia would allow for the promotion of uniform legal regimes that address the situation. This is why Quebec intends to join the class action lawsuit.
British Columbia’s lawsuit is seeking $85 billion to offset the healthcare costs associated with the opioid crisis. In June 2022, the plaintiffs reached a $150 million settlement with Purdue Pharma Canada, a pharmaceutical company.
Between January 2016 and March 2023, there were more than 38,000 suspected opioid-related deaths across Canada. Experts believe that the COVID-19 pandemic likely worsened the crisis.