Delaware News

Teva, Allergan, CVS, and Walgreens Finalize Opioid Settlement Agreements 

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | News | Date Posted: Friday, June 9, 2023


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Delaware to receive nearly $70 million to fight the opioid crisis

Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings today announced the final approval of $17.3 billion in opioid agreements with drug makers Teva and Allergan and pharmacies CVS and Walgreens. 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. Money is expected to start flowing to state and local governments by the end of 2023.

“Delaware continues to experience one of the nation’s highest fatal overdose rates, and these settlements will be a significant boost to our continued fight against the opioid epidemic,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “Both the dollars won, and the stipulations requiring new systems to be put in place prevent drug misuse will have an enormous impact on the landscape of this crisis and save countless lives. My heartfelt thanks to our opioids settlement team and my fellow attorneys general from our sister states for working so hard to make this a reality.”

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. 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. A final agreement with Walmart is not being announced today; there are different process for finalizing that settlement, which is anticipated in the coming weeks.

Delaware will receive approximately $68.9 million over 15 years from the four defendants. National investigations and litigation against the pharmaceutical industry over the opioid crisis has led to more than $50 billion; Delaware ultimately expects to receive nearly a quarter of a billion dollars, all of which will be deposited into the Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Fund created by 2021’s Senate Bill 166.

Attorney Jennings co-led the multistate CVS and Walgreens negotiations with her colleagues from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas. Teva and Allergan negotiations were led by attorneys general from Iowa, California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

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Teva, Allergan, CVS, and Walgreens Finalize Opioid Settlement Agreements 

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | News | Date Posted: Friday, June 9, 2023


Navy blue background featuring the Delaware state seal in the center

Delaware to receive nearly $70 million to fight the opioid crisis

Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings today announced the final approval of $17.3 billion in opioid agreements with drug makers Teva and Allergan and pharmacies CVS and Walgreens. 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. Money is expected to start flowing to state and local governments by the end of 2023.

“Delaware continues to experience one of the nation’s highest fatal overdose rates, and these settlements will be a significant boost to our continued fight against the opioid epidemic,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “Both the dollars won, and the stipulations requiring new systems to be put in place prevent drug misuse will have an enormous impact on the landscape of this crisis and save countless lives. My heartfelt thanks to our opioids settlement team and my fellow attorneys general from our sister states for working so hard to make this a reality.”

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. 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. A final agreement with Walmart is not being announced today; there are different process for finalizing that settlement, which is anticipated in the coming weeks.

Delaware will receive approximately $68.9 million over 15 years from the four defendants. National investigations and litigation against the pharmaceutical industry over the opioid crisis has led to more than $50 billion; Delaware ultimately expects to receive nearly a quarter of a billion dollars, all of which will be deposited into the Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Fund created by 2021’s Senate Bill 166.

Attorney Jennings co-led the multistate CVS and Walgreens negotiations with her colleagues from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas. Teva and Allergan negotiations were led by attorneys general from Iowa, California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

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Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.