The Florida attorney general announced that her office has reached a total of more than $878 million in settlements with three drugmakers and pharmacy chain CVS to end the state’s claims over the opioid epidemic, exiting a trial set to mid April 2022.
CVS is to pay $484 million to the state, with Teva and Allergan paying about $195 million and $134 million, respectively, to end claims that their opioid activities inflamed the addiction crisis. In addition to the cash settlements, Teva will provide $84 million worth of its generic overdose medication Narcan to the state.
The state has also finalized a $65 million deal with Endo, announced in January, bringing the total to $878 million.
The bulk of the funds from the settlements will be directed at abating the opioid crisis.
The last defendant standing in the state’s trial is now Walgreens.
Although the state is seeking tens of billions of dollars from Walgreens, in past weeks the pharmacy chain has argued it’s off the hook due to a small opioid settlement reached a decade ago with the Sunshine State.
A 2012 settlement of $3,000 over alleged improper opioid sales fully resolved the same allegations that the state seeks to pursue at trial.
The other companies did not admit wrongdoing or fault in reaching the settlements.
LAW360: https://www.law360.com/articles/1478980/fla-inks-more-than-878m-in-opioid-deals-ahead-of-trial