On January 23, 2018, City of Philadelphia officials decided to move forward with plans to establish Philadelphia Opioid Safe Injection Sites.
Safe injection sites for users of heroin, fentanyl-laced drugs, and other street opioids are also known as:
- Supervised Injection Sites (SIS)
- Comprehensive User Engagement Sites (CUES)
The sites are part of an effort to combat the city’s increasing opioid epidemic and related deaths. Predicted benefits of Philadelphia Opioid Safe Injection Sites include:
- medically supervised drug injections / consumption
- reduction of unsanitary and otherwise unsafe drug injections
- reduction of injection-related diseases and infections
- reduction of opioid and other drug-related overdoses and deaths
- increase in treatment of addictions and addiction-related injuries and illnesses
Every year, Philadelphia Opioid Safe Injection Sites are also expected to prevent:
- between 24 and 76 overdose deaths
- as many as 213 cases of Hepatitis C, and
- 1 to 18 injection-related HIV infections
Philadelphia’s Growing Opioid Crisis
The city’s establishment of safe injection sites cannot come too soon. In early January 2018, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf declared opioid abuse a statewide disaster emergency. This followed a determination that opioids are responsible for more Pennsylvania deaths than any other health crisis in the State’s modern history.
Philadelphia’s reported share of the opioid crisis is more than alarming. In 2017, nearly 1,000 had died from overdoses as of September, and approximately 85% of those were due to opioids.
Opioid Lawsuits
States, cities, and other municipalities across the country have filed lawsuits against prescription opioid manufacturers and sellers, seeking damages for costs associated with the opioid epidemic. These lawsuits allege, among other things, that opioid prescription drug makers contributed to opioid addiction and related costs to municipalities by their:
- knowledge of the ease with which users of opioid prescriptions can develop opioid addiction,
- knowledge of the widespread diversion of opioid prescription meds, and
- improper marketing of opioid prescription drugs despite this knowledge
Feldman & Pinto: Pennsylvania Opioid Litigation Lawyers
Feldman & Pinto offers representation to individuals who have suffered personal injuries as a result of opioid addiction. The firm also offers opioid epidemic representation to Pennsylvania governmental entities, Pennsylvania hospitals, Pennsylvania labor unions, and Pennsylvania insurance companies that have incurred excess costs due to the opioid epidemic.
Contact Feldman & Pinto.