U.S. District Judge Denies Pharmaceutical Lawsuit To Halt Alameda County’s Drug Take-Back Ordinance
Last week, a U.S. district judge denied a lawsuit by the pharmaceutical industry that attempted to stop Alameda County's prescription drug take-back ordinance. As a result, companies that sell prescription drugs in the county beginning in November must run a "stewardship program" to collect and discard unwanted drugs. The plaintiffs -- including the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and the Generic Pharmaceutical Association -- asserted that it will cost about $1.2 million annually to comply with the ordinance, while county officials have said the cost will total less than $330,000 annually and will be shared by about 100 companies.
- "Drug Firms Lose Prescription Pills Suit Against Alameda County" (O'Brien, Contra Costa Times, 8/30).