CVS, Walgreens and Walmart Ordered to Pay $650 Million to Ohio Counties in Opioid Case

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Publisher’s Note: There’s no doubt that every American has a family member, friend, coworker or acquaintance that has been affected by the opioid crisis. The United States is battling with one of its worst-ever drug crises which has spiked across the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recovery Fest Sat Sept 17th 10am-2pm

According the data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics indicate that there were an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 12-month period ending in April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the 78,056 deaths during the same period the year before. 


 
I recall the words of my late stepfather Dr. William “Bill” Chance who served as a 25 year investigator for the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy telling me “Mike, always remember you’ll never be able to solve the drug problem. The best thing to do is help law enforcement and help people get treatment for addiction.”

Many thanks to Rutherford County Commissioner Craig Harris and many others in our community for their passion and conviction to help combat the opioid crisis. If you or you know someone battling addiction, alcoholism or mental health crisis and need help reach out to the Tennessee Mental Health and Substance Abuse at 1-855-274-7471. (Source: Council of Foreign Relations)

 

BY Joseph Choi
08/17/22 

Jury last year found pharmacies liable for contributing to opioid epidemic in Lake and Trumbull counties

A federal judge on Thursday ordered three major pharmacy chains to pay more than $650 million to two Ohio counties for their roles in fueling the opioid epidemic by improperly dispensing drugs.

Drug Overdose Deaths in the U.S. Top 100,000 Annually

 

U.S. District Court Judge Dan Aaron Polster ordered Walmart, CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens to pay a total of $650.5 million to Lake County and Trumbull County over the next 15 years. In the lawsuit, the companies were accused of oversupplying opioids through their pharmacies, contributing to the opioid crisis.

 

“The Court concludes it is appropriate to order the Pharmacy Defendants to pay immediately into an Abatement Fund two-years worth of these amounts, or a total of $86.7 Million,” the order read.

The plaintiffs had originally sought settlements in the billions, but Polster concluded that a reduction was “necessary to account for opioid addiction and abuse that would have occurred even in the absence of the Defendants’ wrongful conduct.”

 

Polster wrote that it was “equitable and fair” for the companies to be responsible for one-third of the cost needed to address the damage caused from the opioid crisis in the two Ohio counties.

Trumbull County Commissioner Frank Fuda said he hoped this order was the “beginning of the long road to recovery for the people of Trumbull County.”

To read…the rest of the story visit: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3605743-walmart-cvs-and-walgreens-ordered-to-pay-650-million-to-ohio-counties-for-opioid-crisis/