The State of New Hampshire Targets Pharmacy Chains in a New Opioid Lawsuit
The state of New Hampshire sued pharmacy chains Tuesday, becoming the latest government entity seeking to hold them accountable for fueling the nation’s deadly opioid epidemic.
The lawsuit filed by Attorney General John Formella calls CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and their subsidiaries “the last link in the opioid supply chain and the critical gatekeeper between dangerous opioid narcotics in the public.” It accuses the companies of flouting their duty to protect public health and safety by failing to stop suspicious prescriptions and diverted drugs.
“As both drug distributors and the operators of chain pharmacy locations, these companies were in a unique position to more closely monitor the flow of these highly addictive drugs from their stores,” Formella said in a statement. “By bringing this lawsuit, we are attempting to hold them accountable for contributing to a crisis they helped create and that tragically led to the loss of life for thousands of people throughout New Hampshire.”
