For the Tomahawk Leader
WISCONSIN – Attorney General Josh Kaul, on Friday, June 9, announced the final approval of $17.3 billion in opioid agreements with drug makers Teva and Allergan and pharmacies CVS and Walgreens.
A release from the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) said that following successful state sign-on and subdivision sign-on periods, the defendants have committed to the deal and will start releasing funds to a national administrator later this summer.
Wisconsin is set to receive nearly $277 million over 15 years. Money is expected to start flowing to state and local governments by the end of 2023, according to DOJ.
DOJ said the settlements will also require Teva’s opioid business to provide stringent injunctive relief “that, among other things, will prevent all opioid marketing and ensure systems are in place to prevent drug misuse.”
“Additionally, Allergan is required to stop selling opioids for the next 10 years,” DOJ stated.
CVS and Walgreens have agreed to injunctive relief that requires the pharmacies to monitor, report and share data about suspicious activity related to opioid prescriptions.
“This court-ordered injunctive relief will help ensure a crisis like this does not happen again,” DOJ said.
“The opioid crisis has resulted in harm to countless people, and those who fueled the crisis must be held accountable,” Kaul stated. “The hundreds of millions of dollars that Wisconsin communities will receive from these and other case resolutions will enable more progress to be made in the fight again the opioid epidemic.”
Teva and Allergan negotiations were led by Attorneys General from North Carolina, Iowa, California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin.
CVS and Walgreens negotiations were led by Attorneys General from North Carolina, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas.
“National investigations and litigation against the pharmaceutical industry over the opioid crisis has led to more than $50 billion,” DOJ stated. “Wisconsin’s share so far is over $764 million.”