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.
An order by U.S. Judge Dan Polster of Cleveland last November ruled that a jury found that a pharmacy chain had oversupplied addictive pain relievers, many of which ended up in Lake County and Trumbull. It was issued after concluding that it caused public nuisance in the county. to the black market. The pharmacy said it would appeal the ruling.
Polster held another non-jury trial earlier this year to determine the amount the company should pay.
"We are disappointed with this result," Walgreens spokesman Fraser Engleman said in a statement. "Facts and law do not support last fall's jury verdict, nor do they support the current court decision."
CVS and Walmart responded immediately to a request for comment. did not respond.
Mr Polster said his first two-year sum of $86.7 million, which he will have to pay over 15 years, must be paid to the fund immediately. The judge also ordered companies to implement new procedures to combat the illegal diversion of opioid drugs.
The US opioid epidemic has killed more than 500,000 overdoses in 20 years, according to government data. Over 3,300 opioid lawsuits have been filed against pharmaceutical companies, distributors and pharmacy chains nationwide.
The lawsuit alleges Johnson& his $26 billion contract with Johnson and his three major distributors, his $2.37 billion settlement with AbbVie Inc, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. has resulted in several national settlements, including his $4.25 billion settlement.
Pharmacies have yet to reach a national settlement.
(Reporting by Brendan Pearson, New York; Editing by David Evans, Alexia Garamfalvi, Emelia Sitor Matarize)
