A second Oklahoma tribe is suing manufacturers and distributors of opioids, and large pharmacies for their alleged part in an overdose epidemic.
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation filed their lawsuit in U.S. District Court for Oklahoma's northern district on Tuesday. The lawsuit alleges the companies engage in marketing campaigns that aren't truthful about the risks of using opioids. It alleges that the defendants' misconduct "has led to an epidemic of prescription drug abuse."
Some of the defendants named in the lawsuit are the manufacturer Purdue Pharma, the distributor Cardinal Health and large pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens.
A CVS spokesman says that the company believes the allegations "have no merit."
The Creek Nation's lawsuit comes nearly a year after the Cherokee Nation filed a similar suit.