8/5/2023 0 Comments Timer clock for classroom![]() ![]() The lawsuits allege the pharmacies’ contribution to the oversupply of prescription opioids in the state have caused “significant losses through their past and ongoing medical treatment costs, including for minors born addicted to opioids, rehabilitation costs, naloxone costs, medical examiner expenses, self-funded state insurance costs and other forms of losses to address opioid-related afflictions and loss of lives.“ Last August, Rite Aid settled for up to $30 million to resolve similar litigation. Walmart and CVS settled with the state last September: Walmart agreed to a settlement of $65,070,000 CVS for $82.5 million. Walgreens settled in January for $83 million. The state had been scheduled to go to trial Kroger this month. Kroger was the last remaining defendant in a lawsuit involving Walgreens, Walmart, CVS and Rite Aid. In May, Morrisey announced that the state had settled with Kroger for $68 million over its role in distributing highly addictive prescription painkillers West Virginia. While the biggest amounts are in nationwide settlements, West Virginia – perhaps the state hardest hit by the prescription drug overdose crisis – has been aggressive in bringing its own lawsuits and reaching more than a dozen settlements. Over the past four years, drug manufacturers, distribution companies, pharmacies and other companies with roles in the opioid business have reached settlements totaling more than $50 billion with governments. ![]() The other five positions must be appointed by Justice and confirmed by the state Senate. Six board members will be elected by local governments to represent six regions of the state. The foundation will be governed by an 11-member board of directors, which must be selected by July 17 - 60 days after filing the foundation’s articles of incorporation with West Virginia Secretary of State’s office. The West Virginia First Foundation was recognized by the state Legislature by unanimously supported legislation signed by Gov. About a quarter will go directly to counties and a small percentage - around 3% - will be held in trust. Morrisey said the state has hired the Arlington, Virginia-based search firm DRiWaterstone Human Capital to find an executive director for the West Virginia First Foundation, the private non-profit that will distribute just under three quarters of the money. “It’s a lot of money, and I want to make sure the public knows full well what’s happening with it.“ “We feel this process has been moving along,” Morrisey said. That means funding for opioid treatment and addiction services can soon begin going out to communities after years of litigation, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said Monday in his state Capitol office in Charleston. (AP) - West Virginia is finalizing the leadership for a newly created foundation tasked with distributing the lion’s share of the more than $1 billion in opioid lawsuit-settlement money coming to the state with the nation’s highest overdose death rate. ![]()
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