overdoses News

Judge Trims US Lawsuit Accusing Cencora of Fueling Opioid Epidemic

A federal judge on Monday pared back a U.S. government lawsuit accusing drug distributor Cencora, formerly called AmerisourceBergen, of fueling the nation’s deadly opioid epidemic by failing to report hundreds of thousands of suspicious orders of prescription painkillers. U.S. District …

Cardinal Health, McKesson Prevail in Georgia Families’ Opioid Trial

Drug distributors Cardinal Health Inc., McKesson Corp. and JM Smith Corp. on Wednesday prevailed at trial in Georgia in a case brought by families of opioid addicts accusing the companies of acting as drug dealers. A jury in Glynn County …

Florida Reaches $878M Opioid Settlements With CVS, Teva, Others

Florida has reached more than $878 million in settlements with CVS Health Corp and three drug companies to resolve claims and avert a trial next month over their roles in fueling an opioid epidemic in the third most populous state. …

Kentucky AG Sues CVS Health Over State’s Opioid Problems

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky’s attorney general on Wednesday sued CVS Health, accusing its pharmacy chain of flooding the state with prescription opioids that contributed to the state’s addiction woes. Attorney General Daniel Cameron filed the lawsuit in Franklin County …

Walmart Lawsuit Against U.S. Over Opioids Is Dismissed

A federal judge has dismissed Walmart Inc’s lawsuit seeking to preemptively block the U.S. government from blaming the world’s largest retailer for its alleged role in fueling the nation’s opioid crisis. U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan said the government had …

Opioid Deal-Makers Cleared to Represent Cities Across U.S.

A judge approved a bid by U.S. cities and counties suing opioid makers such as Johnson & Johnson and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. to negotiate a settlement as a group, in an effort to resolve the sweeping litigation over the …

Apparent Decline in Overdose Deaths Reverses Long-Running Trend

NEW YORK — U.S. overdose deaths last year likely fell for the first time in nearly three decades, preliminary numbers suggest. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday posted data showing nearly 68,000 drug overdose deaths were reported …

Drugged Driving a Rising Problem

An SUV crashed after all four occupants overdosed on heroin in North Carolina. The same day, a man in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, grabbed the steering wheel after his grandson lost consciousness while driving. Police in the city of 30,000 responded to …

Small Quantities of Opioids Prescribed for Minor Injuries Increase Risk of Longterm Use

Overprescribing of opioid medications for pain has contributed to a record-high number of drug-related deaths in the United States in recent years. A significant part of the issue, experts say, is the vast amount of variation in opioid prescribing habits …