California could receive more than $500 million from Walgreens opioid settlement

California may obtain greater than $500 million from a $5.7-billion multistate settlement to settle a raft of lawsuits filed in opposition to Walgreens over the pharmacy chain’s position within the opioid disaster, officers stated.

“The settlement will resolve allegations that the corporate did not appropriately oversee the allotting of opioids at its pharmacies,” the California lawyer common’s workplace stated Monday in a launch.

In November, Walgreens and CVS Well being agreed to pay about $5 billion every to settle hundreds of lawsuits wherein state and native governments alleged that they crammed prescriptions that ought to have been marked as inappropriate. The funds have been to be cut up among the many taking part states.

Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta known as the settlement a win within the struggle in opposition to the overdose disaster by concentrating on the pharmacy chain’s “position in fueling the opioid epidemic.” Greater than 500,000 deaths during the last 20 years within the U.S. have been linked to opioid abuse.

“To all these scuffling with substance abuse issues, to all these desperately in want of remedy and restoration choices — assistance is on the best way,” Bonta stated within the launch.

The overwhelming majority of the funds acquired by states from the settlement should be used to deal with opioid habit together with by offering remedy and restoration companies.

Along with the funds, the settlement would additionally require that Walgreens examine prescriptions with “crimson flags” earlier than allotting medicines and conduct web site visits and compliance opinions, amongst different stipulations.

Monday’s announcement comes a month after Walmart agreed to an identical settlement for greater than $3 billion, with California eligible to obtain roughly $265 million.

California is “assessing the phrases” of the proposed settlement with CVS, the lawyer common’s workplace stated.