NEW YORK (AP) – Two of the largest U.S pharmacy chains have agreed in principle to pay a total of about $10 billion to settle lawsuits over the toll of powerful prescription opioids.
In addition to the deals with CVS Health and Walgreens, a lawyer for local governments said Wednesday that settlement talks continue with Walmart.
The developments could amount to the last huge settlements announced in years of litigation between government entities and drugmakers, distributors, and pharmacies over opioids. Governments say pharmacies were filling prescriptions they should have flagged as inappropriate.
Opioids have been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over two decades.
By Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press
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