Pharmacy chains face first trial over U.S. opioid epidemic – By Nate Raymond (Reuters) / Oct 4 2021
Oct 4 (Reuters) – The first trial of four large pharmacy chains over the deadly U.S. opioid epidemic was set to begin on Monday, as two Ohio counties seek to convince jurors the companies are responsible for flooding their communities with addictive pain pills.
The Ohio counties of Lake and Trumbull allege that oversight failures at pharmacies run by Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O), CVS Health Corp (CVS.N), Walmart Inc (WMT.N) and Giant Eagle Inc (GIAEG.UL) led to excessive amounts of opioid pills flooding their communities.
Lawyers for the counties and companies will deliver opening statements to a federal jury in Cleveland, where thousands of similar lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies, drug distributors and pharmacies are pending.
More than 3,300 cases have been brought largely by state and local governments seeking to hold the companies responsible for an opioid abuse epidemic that U.S. government data shows led to nearly 500,000 overdose deaths from 1999 to 2019.
