Frequently Asked Questions About Suboxone Lawsuits
Legally Reviewed and Edited by: Terry Cochran
Suboxone, originally celebrated as a breakthrough in treating opioid addiction, is now linked to severe dental issues such as tooth decay, cavities, and tooth loss. These side effects have prompted many patients, who turned to Suboxone to escape addiction, to face new challenges of extensive dental damage.
Since 2023, a wave of lawsuits have been filed against Indivior, the pharmaceutical company behind Suboxone. If you’ve been affected, you may have questions about taking legal action for possible compensation.
Get answers to common Suboxone lawsuit FAQs so you know your rights and what to expect during the legal process. Work with our experienced product liability attorneys at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. to help you seek compensation for the physical and emotional impacts of Suboxone on your well-being.
What is Suboxone?
Suboxone is a medication primarily used in the treatment of opioid addiction. It is a combination of Buprenorphine and Naloxone, two active ingredients that work together to manage withdrawal symptoms and reduce the likelihood of misuse.
Buprenorphine acts as a partial opioid agonist, which means it provides some of the effects of opioids to ease withdrawal symptoms without delivering the full impact of opioid drugs. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that blocks the effects of opioids and is included to deter misuse of the medication.
Suboxone is available in two primary forms: tablets and sublingual films. The sublingual film, designed to dissolve under the tongue, has been linked to numerous dental issues. The tablets are swallowed and do not have the same prolonged contact with the mouth, reducing the risk of dental problems.
Who is Indivior?
Indivior is a specialty pharmaceutical company that markets and manufactures Suboxone, a leading medication for opioid addiction treatment. Originally a division of Reckitt Benckiser, Indivior was spun out as an independent company in 2014.
Indivior is known for its focus on medications to treat serious health conditions like opioid use disorder, but it has faced significant legal challenges due to its marketing practices. In 2020, the FDA forced the company to pay $600 million for criminal and civil damages relating to false statement charges and sentenced the CEO to six months of incarceration.
The company collaborates with other firms, such as Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc., which manufactures films and oral soluble products on behalf of Indivior.
If the Suboxone Tablet was Effective, Why Did Indivior Change it to a Sublingual Film?
Indivior claimed that its sublingual film was safer than tablets because children were less likely to mistake it for candy and accidentally ingest it. However, this claim turned out to be false, and Indivior pleaded guilty to a felony for misleading statements about its product’s safety, costing the company hundreds of millions.
It’s believed that financial interests primarily drove Indivior’s shift to sublingual film. The company aimed to extend its market exclusivity on the drug combination of naloxone and buprenorphine, effectively keeping generic competitors at bay even after their initial patent expired.
This move was eventually labeled an antitrust violation, leading to a lawsuit in which drug wholesalers won $385 million in damages from Indivior.
Disclaimer : The information provided is general and not for legal advice. The blogs are not intended to provide legal counsel and no attorney-client relationship is created nor intended.