Walgreens trial over its part in Florida opioid crisis set to begin

Endo International

11/04/2022 11:00

By Dietrich Knauth
    April 11 (Reuters) - A jury trial accusing Walgreens Boots
Alliance  WBA.O  of contributing to Florida's opioid addiction
epidemic was set to begin on Monday after the pharmacy chain
opted not to join a multimillion-dollar settlement by other
defendants.
    The state accuses Walgreens of poor oversight in its
dispensing and distributing opioids in Florida, allowing the
drugs to be diverted to illegal use and causing an increase in
addiction. Walgreens has denied the allegations.
    Jury selection began on April 5, with opening statements by
attorneys set for Monday before Judge Kimberly Sharpe Byrd in
Pasco County Circuit Court.
    The pharmacy chain has argued it should be immune from the
current litigation based on a mere $3,000 settlement reached
with Florida in 2012 following an investigation into its
record-keeping policies and efforts to prevent the diversion of
opioid drugs.
    Under the previously-announced settlements by Walgreens'
prior co-defenants in the Florida trial, pharmacy chain rival
CVS Health Corp  CVS.N  will pay $484 million. In addition,
drugmakers Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd  TEVA.TA  agreed
to will pay $194.8 million, Abbvie Inc's  ABBV.N  Allergan unit
will pay $134.2 million and Endo International Plc  ENDP.O  $65
million.  L2N2VX2DY 
    Walgreens argued that the 2012 deal released it from future
opioid claims in the state, even if Florida regretted those
terms as a "bad bargain," according to court transcripts. 
    Florida in the same court transcript called the Walgreens'
position "absurd," saying the earlier deal addressed only a
single record-keeping violation. The settlements from the other
previous defendants in the litigation totaled $878 million.
    Florida has collected more than $3 billion in opioid
litigation against drugmakers, distributors and pharmacies,
according to attorney general Ashley Moody. Most of the money
will be spent on efforts to mitigate the opioid crisis in the
state.
    There has been a wave of recent settlements by companies
facing allegations over their part in the opioid crisis, which
has led to more than 500,000 U.S. deaths from overdoses in the
past two decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. More than 3,300 lawsuits have been filed against
drugmakers, distributors and pharmacies over the crisis.
 

 (Reporting by Dietrich Knauth; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
 ((Dietrich.Knauth@thomsonreuters.com;))