CVS Walgreens sued by Florida over sale of opioids after thousands killed

(ABC News) The state of Florida has sued the two largest pharmacy chains in the country over the sale of opioids -- an epidemic that has killed thousands in the state in just the past few years. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the state had amended an original lawsuit filed in May to include both CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens. Insys Therapeutics the specialty pharmaceutical company that produces Subsys the brand name for a type of fentanyl was also added to the complaint. CVS and Walgreens are the two largest pharmacy chains in the country according to health care marketing firm SK&A with about 18000 stores between the two brands. Walgreens operates 820 stores and CVS operates 754 stores in Florida according to the lawsuit. In this Aug. 7 2018 file photo a CVS Pharmacy building sign rests on a Jackson Miss. store. We will continue to pursue those companies that played a role in creating the opioid crisis Bondi said in a statement. Thousands of Floridians have suffered as a result of the actions of the defendants. The lawsuit filed in May included Purdue Pharma the maker of OxyContin; Endo Pharmaceuticals the maker of Percocet and Opana; Janssen Pharmaceuticals the maker of fentanyl drug Duragesic; and Teva Pharmaceutical one of the largest generic drug manufacturers in the world. Opioid use has had tragic consequences for communities across Florida and the State has been forced to expend enormous sums as a result of the opioid crisis the introduction to the lawsuit reads. The crisis has a cause: Defendants cooperated to sell and ship ever-increasing quantities of opioids into Florida. Florida has been hit hard by the countrys opioid crisis. Read More