Walgreens settles opioid case with Baltimore; three lawsuits still pending
The government of Baltimore has settled its case with pharmacy chain Walgreens, as part of an ongoing series of lawsuits against various businesses accused of contributing to the epidemic of opioid addiction and overdoses in the city.
The exact terms of the settlement with Walgreens have yet to be disclosed, but some simple math, based on previous settlements, suggests around $80 million. To date, the city has won almost $402.5 million as a result of the lawsuits, officials said in a statement.
“As part of the settlement, Walgreens requested that we delay announcing the specific terms of the agreement for 30 days,” City Solicitor Ebony M. Thompson said in the statement. “In order to resolve the case against it and focus our trial on the worst actors in the opioid epidemic, we agreed to this term.”
Baltimore’s case against pharmaceutical company Allergan resulted in a settlement of $45 million, and pharmacy chain CVS paid out the same. Other lawsuits resulted in $80 million and $125 million settlements from the drug company Teva and medical supply house Cardinal Health, respectively.
More cases pending
The Walgreens case marks the fifth settlement, with three cases remaining—Johnson & Johnson, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen.
Like the other defendants, the companies are accused of profiting off the opioid crisis by failing to adhere to laws that limit distribution and supply of the highly addictive drugs. It is not known if a settlement will be reached in the remaining three cases or if the lawsuits will advance to trial.
“We are proud of our efforts to bring these companies to justice over the past several years,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott added. “The reality is, addressing the opioid epidemic requires an enormous amount of resources and through this litigation, our outside counsel and Law Department have begun to provide that. As we approach the beginning of trial, it is time to finish the job against the remaining defendants and begin using this money to support and grow the work we’ve already been doing to tackle the opioid epidemic where it can do the most good.”
The full terms of the settlement with Walgreens will be announced on Oct. 3.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.