Pharmacies Agree to Pay $13.8 Billion in Opioid Lawsuit Settlements

CVS, Walmart and Walgreens have tentatively agreed to pay about $13.8 billion to resolve state opioid suits, according to reports across the political spectrum.

Key Quotes: The settlements with the pharmacies "will bring billions of additional dollars to communities that are desperate for funds to combat the epidemic" of opioid addiction, said Paul Geller, one of the lawyers who negotiated for the governments.

For Context: CVS would pay $5 billion over 10 years, Walmart would pay $3.1 billion (mostly up front), and Walgreens would pay $5.7 billion over 15 years. They are the three largest retail pharmacies in the country by market share. Since 2017, more than 3,000 lawsuits have been filed by state and local governments accusing distributors and pharmacies of ignoring signals that prescriptions were being diverted into illegal trafficking, and accusing drugmakers of downplaying the risks of their opioid pain medicines. The agreement would be the first nationwide deal with retail pharmacy companies, following more than $33 billion in nationwide opioid settlements with distributors and drugmakers.

How the Media Covered It: The tentative agreement was covered by sources across the spectrum, with some highlighting that the agreement wouldn't be finalized until enough states, counties, and cities agree to the terms.