Many of the defendants in Florida’s lawsuit over the opioid epidemic have settled for greater than $870 million, in line with the state legal professional normal. One stays: Walgreens Co. is just not giving up.
A jury has been seated in Pasco County, Florida, simply north of Tampa, to listen to the state’s case towards Walgreens, an enormous drug retailer chain with greater than 9,000 retailers on streetcorners all through the nation. Opening statements are set for early subsequent week.
The Deerfield, Illinois-based firm says it won’t settle.
“We’re ready for trial,” mentioned Walgreens spokesman Fraser Engerman in an e-mail.
Florida, led by Lawyer Normal Ashley Moody, contends that Walgreens has been an integral a part of the opioid epidemic. As examples of extra, Moody mentioned in a press release that one Walgreens outlet bought 2.2 million opioid tablets within the city of Hudson, Florida, which has about 12,000 residents. Different Walgreens areas, in line with the state, elevated their orders for opioids by 600% in a two-year interval.
“It’s time for Walgreens to face accountability for his or her half in fueling the opioid disaster, and my group is ready to vigorously attempt our robust case towards them,” Moody mentioned in a press release.
Walgreens denies the state’s allegations.
The opioid epidemic has been linked to greater than 500,000 deaths within the U.S. over the previous 20 years, counting these from prescription painkillers corresponding to OxyContin and generic oxycodone in addition to illicit medication corresponding to heroin and illegally produced fentanyl.
In the identical case as Walgreens, Moody mentioned CVS Well being Corp. and CVS Pharmacy Inc. can pay the state $484 million. Teva Prescription drugs Industries Ltd. agreed to pay $195 million and Allergan PLC greater than $134 million.
Florida has beforehand obtained thousands and thousands of {dollars} in opioid settlements involving McKesson Corp., Cardinal Well being Inc., Johnson & Johnson Inc. and AmerisourceBergen Corp.
That leaves Walgreens, in the meanwhile, as the only defendant in Florida’s opioid case.
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma has a tentative nationwide deal that features $6 billion in money from members of the Sackler household who personal the corporate; drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and the distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Well being and McKesson have finalized settlements totaling $26 billion.
In all, settlements, civil and legal penalties since 2007 have totaled over $45 billion, in line with an Related Press tally.
Copyright 2022 Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Desirous about Lawsuits?
Get computerized alerts for this matter.
