Article author:
Reuters
Brendan Pierson and Dietrich Knauth
Pharmacy operators CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens are mobilizing two counties in Ohio to address the damage caused by the opioid epidemic. will have to pay $650.6 million to match A judge ruled on Wednesday.
The order by U.S. District Judge Dan Polster of Cleveland marks the first time a pharmacy chain has been ordered to pay money in an opioid lawsuit. A jury last November concluded that a company had caused public nuisance in Lake and Trumbull counties by oversupplying addictive pain relievers, many of which ended up on the black market.
"Today's news promises the immediate availability of the much-needed resources needed to scale up assistance to adequately address the damage caused by this devastating epidemic. I mean," said Trumbull County Commissioner Frank Huda. statement.
The pharmacy has argued that it is not responsible for filling legal prescriptions from doctors, but has said it will appeal the ruling.
Both Walgreens and her CVS representatives said Wednesday's decision was not upheld by law and they planned to appeal. Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Walgreens was also found guilty last week in an opioid lawsuit brought by San Francisco, but a judge has yet to determine how much he will have to pay there.
Polster said the first two years' sum, or $86.7 million, must be paid immediately and the total must be paid over 15 years. He also ordered companies to implement new procedures to combat opioid diversion.
According to government data, the opioid epidemic in the United States has killed more than 500,000 overdoses in 20 years. More than 3,300 lawsuits have been filed, mostly by local governments, accusing pharmaceutical companies, distributors and pharmacy chains of contributing to the crisis.
The lawsuit alleges a $26 billion deal with Johnson& Johnson and his three major distributors, his $2.37 billion settlement with AbbVie, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. It has led to several nationwide settlements, including his $4.25 billion settlement with
While dispensaries have yet to reach a nationwide settlement, Walgreens and CVS have settled with Florida for $683 million and $484 million, respectively. Reporting by Brendan Pearson; Editing by David Evans, Alexia Garamfalvi, Emelia Sitor Matarize, Diane Kraft)
