NPR: Florida Sues Walgreens, CVS For Alleged Role In Opioid Crisis
Link to news story: https://www.npr.org/2018/11/19/669146432/florida-sues-walgreens-cvs-for-alleged-role-in-opioid-crisis
Link to press release: http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases/834730958BB4101485258347007F5011
Florida is suing pharmacy chains Walgreens and CVS over their role in what the state calls "unconscionable efforts to increase the demand and supply of opioids into Florida."
State Attorney General Pam Bondi's office announced Friday that it had added the two companies to a lawsuit filed in May against opioid distributors and manufacturers — including OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma, Percocet-maker Endo Pharmaceuticals and Teva Pharmaceutical, which is one of the world's largest generic-drug manufacturers.
All the defendants allegedly created illegitimate demand for opioids while "unlawfully increasing the supply of opioids to meet that demand" and "worked together to inflate the supply and demand for opioids," the lawsuit says.
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Replies
It's mind-boggling to think that these pharmacy giants -- and others cited in the lawsuit -- might have deliberately exacerbated (or maybe even caused?) the most disturbing healthcare crisis of our lifetimes. Even if it wasn't delibrate, did they see a growing problem and choose NOT to address it or make it worse? Hopefully, the facts will come out during the course of suits like this and anyone who contributed to this epidemic will somehow be held accountable.