CVS, Walgreens, Walmart to pay $650M, ruled responsible in opioid crisis

CVS, Walgreens and Walmart have been ordered to pay up for damages related to the opioid crisis. A judge found the companies partially responsible for fueling an abundance of pills on the streets. $650 million will now go to two Ohio counties. Over the next 15 years, approximately $306.2 million must be paid to Lake County and approximately $344.4 million must be paid to Trumbull County.

The counties alleged that the pharmacies “abused their position of special trust and responsibility” and “fostered a black market for prescription opioids,” the complaint read. U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster said big pharma ignored signs pills were being abused by continuing to fill orders.

Polster wrote in his ruling that the awarded damages are meant to “address a small piece of a terrible and tenacious and escalating national tragedy.”

All three companies plan to appeal the decision. They each released statements after Thursday’s ruling.

“As we have said throughout this process, we never manufactured or marketed opioids nor did we distribute them to the ‘pill mills’ and internet pharmacies that fueled this crisis,” Fraser Engerman, senior director of external relations for Walgreens said.

Walmart released a statement saying the plaintiffs in the case “sued Walmart in search of deep pockets.”