West Virginia agrees to $83 million settlement with Walgreens over opioid epidemic

West Virginia on Wednesday introduced an $83 million settlement with Walgreens to resolve a lawsuit over the pharmacy chain’s position in perpetuating the opioid disaster within the state.

Walgreens has agreed to pay the settlement inside an eight-year interval, state Lawyer Basic Patrick Morrisey (R) stated. The cash from all opioid settlements will likely be distributed underneath an settlement with the state and native governments about abate the opioid disaster all through the state.

“We are going to proceed to hunt out justice for these affected probably the most by the opioid epidemic that hit our state the toughest,” Morrisey stated in an announcement. “This and different settlements won’t convey again the lives misplaced from the opioid menace, however our hope is that the cash would offer important assist to these affected probably the most by this disaster in West Virginia.”

The settlement resolves a lawsuit that alleged the pharmacy chain failed to take care of efficient controls in opposition to diversion that contributed to an oversupply of opioids within the state.

Walgreens is a component of a bigger litigation involving Kroger, Walmart, CVS and Ceremony Assist. Walmart and CVS settled with the state in September for a mixed complete of $147 million, and Ceremony Assist settled in August for as much as $30 million.

Kroger is the final remaining defendant, with a trial scheduled for June.

Morrisey is alleging that Kroger didn’t report suspicious drug orders to the Drug Enforcement Administration and the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy.