Kroger will pay up to $1.4 billion over 11 years to settle most of the litigation against the grocery giant related to the opioid epidemic in the U.S. This move comes as a response to the crisis that has plagued the country for over a decade. As one of the largest supermarket and drugstore chains in the country, Kroger intends to allocate the funds to states, local governments, and Native American tribes for treatment and other efforts to combat the ongoing crisis. Additionally, $177 million will be allocated to cover attorney costs and related legal fees.
The settlement will benefit 33 out of the 35 states where Kroger operates, with previous settlements already reached with New Mexico and West Virginia. Kroger emphasized its commitment to patient safety and combating opioid abuse, stating that this settlement is a significant milestone in resolving the pending opioid litigation.
It’s important to note that Kroger did not admit any wrongdoing or liability under this settlement. Opioids are responsible for an estimated 80,000 deaths annually in the U.S., with the latest wave of deaths linked to illicit synthetic drugs like fentanyl rather than prescription painkillers.
Jayne Conroy, a lawyer representing the governments suing the companies involved, stressed the significance of major prescription drug providers contributing to the efforts to address the devastating impact of opioids. She highlighted the connection between the massive amount of addiction and the massive amount of prescription drugs. Several major retailers, including Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and Walgreens, have paid billions of dollars to resolve opioid-related lawsuits.
Ongoing opioid litigation is still taking place against other retailers, such as Publix and Albertsons, as well as pharmacy benefit managers like Express Scripts and OptumRx. It is clear that the opioid crisis continues to have far-reaching consequences, with hundreds of thousands of lives lost in the U.S. and around the world.
—The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
