CVS, Walgreens, Walmart Contributed to Opioid Epidemic, Ohio Jury Finds

By WSJ
Posted on 11/23/21 | News Source: WSJ

A federal jury in Cleveland found that the companies that own CVS, Walgreens and Walmart pharmacies were liable for contributing to the opioid epidemic in two Ohio counties, the first and potentially influential case among thousands filed against pharmacy chains.

Attorneys for Lake and Trumbull counties in northeast Ohio had argued the chains failed to stop pain pills from flooding the counties or stop false prescriptions from being filled.

The counties argued that by enabling the opioid crisis, the pharmacy companies created a public nuisance. Each county said the crisis cost them about $1 billion in costs related to law enforcement, social services and courts.

The verdict in the bellwether case is being closely watched by attorneys elsewhere as similar cases play out against pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors.

Plaintiffs attorneys for the counties issued a joint statement calling the verdict an “overdue reckoning.”

“For decades, pharmacy chains have watched as the pills flowing out of their doors cause harm and failed to take action as required by law,” the attorneys said. “Instead, these companies responded by opening up more locations, flooding communities with pills, and facilitating the flow of opioids into an illegal, secondary market.”

Michael DeAngelis, a spokesman for CVS Health Corp. , said the company strongly disagreed with the verdict.