Suboxone
Marketing to Suboxone claimants can be challenging. CAMG handles marketing, lead generation, and intake, so you can focus on fighting for your client’s rights.
Suboxone is a medication used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). Typically administered as a sublingual film or tablet, Suboxone is primarily manufactured by Indivior Inc. The two active ingredients of Suboxone are buprenorphine and naloxone.
Suboxone use has been associated with severe dental problems, including tooth decay, tooth loss, cracked teeth, and oral infections. These complications often require extensive dental work, including root canals and crowns, leading to numerous lawsuits. Many of these lawsuits are consolidated in multidistrict litigation (MDL).
The lawsuits claim that the manufacturers, particularly Indivior, failed to provide adequate warnings about these dental risks. The warnings were only added to the label in 2022 despite years of reports. Additional claims include misrepresentation of effectiveness and safety and that the drug was aggressively marketed without sufficient information about potential side effects.
Suboxone Lawsuit Updates
November 13, 2024: An Ohio federal judge dismissed Indivior PLC and Reckitt Benckiser entities from the lawsuits, following an agreement reached between all parties involved.
November 5, 2024: A new census order was issued in the Suboxone MDL, requiring all plaintiffs with cases filed by October 7, 2024, to submit a Census Form, medical, dental, and pharmaceutical authorizations, proof of brand-name Suboxone Film use, and documentation of dental injuries.
About Suboxone
Suboxone is a medication used to address opioid use disorder (OUD). Its two active ingredients are buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, helps reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms without producing the same high as other opioids. Naloxone, an opioid agonist, blocks the effects of opioids to prevent misuse of the medication.
Administered as a sublingual (below the tongue) film, Suboxone is associated with severe dental issues, including tooth decay, tooth loss, cracked teeth, and oral infections, often requiring extensive dental work, including root canals and crowns.
Suboxone Related Conditions
According to the Suboxone lawsuits, Suboxone can lead to tooth decay, tooth loss, cracked teeth, and oral infections through several mechanisms:
- Tooth decay and enamel erosion: Prolonged exposure to the acidic nature of Suboxone, especially in sublingual form, can erode tooth enamel, weakening teeth and making them more susceptible to decay and damage.
- Dry mouth (xerostomia): Buprenorphine in Suboxone can reduce saliva production, which is necessary for neutralizing acids and washing away food particles and bacteria. Reduced saliva flow leads to a dry mouth, which increases the risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and oral infections.
- Gum disease: The dry mouth condition can also contribute to gum inflammation (gingivitis) and periodontitis, which can cause gum recession, bone loss, and eventually tooth loss if left untreated.
- Oral infections: Dry mouth and poor oral hygiene can disrupt the natural bacterial balance in the mouth, leading to gingivitis and periodontitis causing inflammation, pain, and if severe, tooth loss.
Indivior Inc. Liability
According to the Suboxone lawsuits, Indivior’s liability in the Suboxone lawsuits primarily centers around several key causes of action: Strict Liability – Failure to Warn, Negligent Failure to Warn, Strict Liability – Design Defect, and Negligent Design Defect. Plaintiffs allege that Indivior failed to provide adequate warnings about the risks and was negligent in its duty to inform consumers and healthcare providers. Additionally, plaintiffs argue that the design is inherently defective due to its acidic nature, and that Indivior was negligent in failing to ensure the product was safe for long-term use.
- Strict Liability – Failure to Warn: Plaintiffs allege that Indivior failed to provide adequate warnings about the risks of severe dental problems, such as tooth decay, tooth loss, and oral infections associated with Suboxone.
- Negligent Failure to Warn: This cause of action claims that Indivior was negligent in its duty to inform consumers and healthcare providers about the potential dental risks of using Suboxone.
- Strict Liability – Design Defect: Plaintiffs argue that Suboxone’s design is inherently defective, particularly its acidic nature, which can erode tooth enamel and lead to significant dental issues.
- Negligent Design Defect: This claim asserts that Indivior was negligent in the design of Suboxone, failing to ensure that the product was safe for long-term use without causing severe dental damage.
Suboxone Lawsuits
- November 6, 2024: The U.S. District Judge overseeing the Suboxone Film Products Liability Litigation issued guidelines for conducting a complete census of all pending claims to identify bellwether trials.
- Over 11,000 lawsuits have been filed against Indivior, the manufacturer of Suboxone.
- Close to 700 lawsuits have been consolidated under the Suboxone Film Products Liability Litigation MDL.
- September 10, 2024: A Utah man filed a Suboxone lawsuit in federal court, alleging he developed permanent dental damage after using a sublingual film version of Suboxone.
Suboxone lawsuits have four main components:
- Strict Liability – Failure to Warn
- Negligent Failure to Warn
- Strict Liability – Design Defect
- Negligent Design Defect
Lawsuit Eligibility
People who experienced severe dental complications due to Suboxone usage may be eligible to file a lawsuit if they:
- Must have been prescribed brand name Suboxone for pain management or opioid addiction in sublingual form
- Total number of teeth lost, extracted, or scheduled must be 2 or more
For example, a victim might be able to file a Suboxone lawsuit if they used sublingual Suboxone for a determined period and developed severe dental issues.
Let CAMG Help You Market to Suboxone Claimants
If you are a lawyer or law firm looking to sign Suboxone clients, contact Consumer Attorney Marketing Group. CAMG is a full-service advertising agency connecting lawyers with potential claimants through traditional media, digital marketing, and public relations.
We work exclusively with plaintiff law firms. We help law firms by developing and executing the right legal marketing strategy to help them achieve their desired outcomes.
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