The big three drugstore chains Walmart, CVS and Walgreens were sentenced to pay $650.5 billion to two Ohio counties as compensation for his involvement in the so-called opioid crisis.
According to a jury verdict, Walmart, CVS and Walgreens continued dispensing “massive” amounts of prescription painkillers even though these synthetic opium derivatives have caused a public health crisis.
The judge in the case, Dan Polster, qualified that the three chains caused “public harm” by not taking into account that by filling prescriptions without reservation the “abusive” consumption of painkillers was ignored among your customers.
The two counties that received the favorable ruling are Lake and Trumbull, both in Ohio, according to the court ruling known this Wednesday.
However, the hefty sum, the money they will receive is barely a third of what attorneys in both counties estimatedit has cost them the so-called opioid crisis.
The money will go to finance education and prevention programs on drug use; as well as to pay reimbursements to agencies and organizations that have become involved in the opioid crisis.
Walmart, CVS and Walgreens were found guilty last November of engaging in mass distribution of opioids in both counties.
According to sources not cited by New York Times, between 500,000 and 850,000 people have died in the last 20 years from drug overdoses related to these medications.
At least two of the three pharmacy chains that were ordered to pay the $650.5 billion They assured that they will appeal the ruling to seek to reverse it.
For its part, Walmart confirmed that it will seek to appeal the decision of the jury and the sentence imposed by the judge, since it considers that the process was “riddled with legal and factual errors”.
While Walgreens indicated that its workers adhered at all times to the protocols to fill prescriptions that were authorized by doctors, who prescribe medications that are approved by the health authorities.
The opioid crisis has been a multi-million dollar load for Walmart, CVS and Walgreensin addition to other brands such as Rite Aid, which have been previously convicted of charges associated with the opioid crisis.
In the middle of last year, the four networks had to pay $26 million to two counties in New York for the same topic.
Also, in 2021, Johnson & Johnson and three other drug distributors signed a $26 billion settlement agreement with other counties to avoid a lengthy and costly trial.
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Source: La Opinion
