West Virginia attorney general announces $147 million settlement with CVS

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday that Walmart and CVS Pharmacy have settled with the state of West Virginia for a total of $147 million in a lawsuit over the companies' roles in contributing to the oversupply of prescription drugs that fueled the opioid epidemic in the country s most impacted state.

Walmart WMT, and CVS CVS were two lawsuits that were part of a larger trial pushed back to June of next year, along with Kroger KR and Walgreens WBA. Morrisey recently announced a settlement with Rite Aid RAD for up to $30 million to resolve similar litigation.

The lawsuits allege that the pharmacies have caused significant losses through their past and ongoing medical treatment costs, including for minors born addicted to opioids, medical examiner expenses, self-funded state insurance costs, and other forms of losses to address opioid-related afflictions and loss of lives. It brings the total settlements by the state in opioid lawsuits to $875 million, including $296 million with manufacturers, $400 million with wholesalers and $177.5 million involving pharmacies. These settlements won't bring back the lives lost in the opioid epidemic, but these and other settlements will hopefully provide significant help to those affected most by the crisis in our state, Morrisey said at a news conference. This development avoided a costly and lengthy trial and at the end of the day West Virginia will have the highest per capita settlement results in the nation fighting for our people. Walmart agreed to a settlement of just over 65 million dollars and CVS $82.5 million. Morrisey said that the deal with CVS includes a provision that means West Virginia can still get money from any future national settlements that arises. The money from all opioid settlements will be distributed throughout the state to fight the opioid crisis. In August, West Virginia cities and counties reached a $400 million settlement with three major U.S. drug distributors: AmerisourceBergen ABC, Cardinal Health CAH and McKesson MCK. In April, Morrisey announced that the state would receive $99 million in a settlement with Johnson Johnson's JNJ, subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.