Two pharmaceutical companies, McKesson and Cencora, were ordered to pay $266 million to the city of Baltimore for their role in fueling the opioid crisis. The jury found the companies liable for not reporting suspicious orders of prescription drugs which contributed to the epidemic in the city. Baltimore plans to seek an additional $9 billion in abatement from the companies to address the crisis. This verdict marks the first successful outcome in opioid litigation against McKesson and Cencora. Baltimore opted out of a national settlement to pursue its own claims against the companies. The city has already secured over $400 million in settlements with other pharmaceutical companies. McKesson and Cencora deny the verdict and intend to challenge it. Baltimore’s Mayor Brandon Scott welcomed the decision, stating that the city has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic with a significant number of deaths each year. The funds from the settlements will be used to implement programs for substance use prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction in Baltimore. The city has been disproportionately affected by the crisis, with a high number of overdose deaths compared to the rest of Maryland. The CDC reports a high number of opioid prescriptions and misuse across the U.S., emphasizing the need for actions to address the epidemic.
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Baltimore to receive $266 million from drug companies in opioid epidemic lawsuit
