New York City, New York Counties File Suit Against McKinsey Over Opioid Crisis

New York City and 21 of New York’s counties on Tuesday announced a lawsuit against consulting firm McKinsey & Company, accusing the company of contributing to the opioid crisis by helping create strategies to increase prescription drug sales.

In the lawsuit, filed in state Supreme Court in Suffolk County, the plaintiffs called the opioid crisis “the worst man-made epidemic in history,” that came about because the drug manufacturers used deceptive marketing tactics to expand drug use, and said McKinsey “played a major role in crafting and implementing that strategy.”

Earlier this year, McKinsey agreed to more than $600 million in settlements with all 50 states over its role in advising OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma.

In a statement Tuesday, McKinsey referenced that settlement, saying it contained no admission of liability or wrongdoing.

The company said it believed that having settlements with states resolved any claims brought by municipalities and “the funds provided by this settlement will be used by the state governments to support communities throughout those states.

The company said it would defend against cases that “are designed to double-dip on the state settlements.”