Drug Wholesalers to Pay $36 Million Over West Virginia Pill Mill Claims

Two prescription drug wholesalers – AmerisourceBergen Corp. and Cardinal Health Inc. – will pay $16 million and $20 million, respectively, to resolve West Virginia’s claims relating to their distribution of controlled substances in the state, according to Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. The settlement – in which neither company admitted to any wrongdoing – is believed to be the largest pharmaceutical settlement in state history, after lawsuits dragged on for more than four years in Boone County Circuit Court and spanned the terms of two attorneys general. In 2012, McGraw filed lawsuits against Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen and a dozen smaller drug distributors for their role in a drug supply chain that includes doctors who write prescriptions for nonmedical purposes and “pill mill” pharmacies that dispense excessive numbers of painkillers. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey inherited the case upon taking office in January 2013. These deals are the latest in several settlements stemming from a case brought against more than one dozen companies by the attorney general’s office, along with the Department of Health and Human Resources and Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. The settlement money will go toward drug treatment programs to help West Virginians addicted to opioid drugs, such as heroin and prescription painkillers. The money will be kept in a special account at the State Auditor’s office. Gov. Tomblin said, “We’ve taken steps to co...
Source: Policy and Medicine - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs