Relatives of the late popstar Prince have sued pharmacy chain Walgreens and an Illinois hospital, claiming they could have prevented the singer’s 2016 death if they had properly diagnosed and treated his overdose days earlier. Walgreens, whose parent company is Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc, has declined to comment. The US is currently experiencing a synthetic opioid addiction crisis. The center for Disease Control and Prevention has claimed that in 2016 there were more than 42,000 opioid overdose deaths in the United States.

Improper prescriptions

The wrongful death lawsuit has been filed in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago, accuses a doctor and pharmacist at Trinity Medical Center in Rock Island, Illinois, of failing to properly investigate the overdose or see that the pop star received appropriate counseling. The six heirs also accuse two Walgreens pharmacists of improperly dispensing prescription medication to Prince.

No criminal charges

Prince was found dead at his home near Minneapolis on 21 April 2016 with the official cause of death given as a self-administered overdose of the painkiller fentanyl, which is 50 times stronger than heroin. A police investigation found numerous opioids in the singer’s home. Last week prosecutor admitted criminal charges could not be brought following a two-year investigation which failed to determine where he obtained a counterfeit painkiller laced with fentanyl.