Pharmacy Chains Slapped With MASSIVE Penalties – Judge Issues Ruling!
(ConservativeHub.com) – Overcome with the expenses resulting from the opioid epidemic, two counties in Ohio sued pharmacy groups. Lake and Trumbull Counties wanted the court to hold Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart responsible for their alleged roles in moving the drugs into communities. US District Judge Dan Polster ruled on August 17 that the companies must pay $650 million to the plaintiffs.
The lawsuit initially involved five pharmacies, but Giant Eagle and Rite Aid settled out of court before the original trial, in which a jury found in the plaintiffs’ favor in November 2021. Polster, tasked with deciding damages in the case, ruled the companies’ opioid distribution practices created a public nuisance.
Breaking News: CVS, Walgreens and Walmart must pay $650.5 million to two Ohio counties to redress the harms of the opioid epidemic, a federal judge ruled. A jury in November said they kept dispensing painkillers despite evidence they were being abused. https://t.co/3QkdS0BYGW
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 17, 2022
During the case, attorneys for the corporations claimed doctors were the ones the prescriptions, and therefore the pharmacies had no control over what patients were getting. CBS News reported that they claimed each pharmacy had documented processes to notify authorities of any suspicious activities involving the drugs. According to their representatives, they’ll appeal the ruling.
Representatives for the counties proclaimed victory, stating the verdicts would help them significantly in the ongoing fight against opioid addiction in their communities.
According to the order, the companies must immediately pay almost $87 million in the awarded damages. Then, they will pay Trumbull County $344 million and Lake County $306 million over 15 years. While this sounds like a massive payout, it’s relatively small compared to what the counties asked for — $3.3 billion.
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