BALTIMORE — Walgreens pharmacy, and major drug company Teva Pharmaceuticals, have reached settlements with Baltimore City after claims that they helped fuel the city's opioid crisis.
Baltimore sued "Big Pharma" - multiple major manufacturers and distributors of pharmaceuticals - and claimed that the companies took part in "fraudulent and reckless marketing of opioids."
The city has gotten $402 million from drug companies so far, after three prior settlements.
Teva will pay the city $80 million, announced the city on Monday.
The full terms of the Walgreens agreement will be made public on October 3.
City Solicitor Ebony M. Thompson explained in a statement:
As part of the settlement, Walgreens requested that we delay announcing the specific terms of the agreement for 30 days. In order to resolve the case against it and focus our trial on the worst actors in the opioid epidemic, we agreed to this term.
Allergan and CVS each agreed to pay $45 million, while Cardinal Health settled for $152.5 million.
The city notes that it's getting more money by suing the drug companies alone. Baltimore has gotten more than three times the amount it would have if it had joined in on national or global settlements with the drug companies, according to today's press release.
A look at other companies that Baltimore has settled with
The city will put $5 million of the funds toward promoting the "988" suicide/crisis hotline, $3 million toward the Penn North Recovery Center, and $2 million toward BMore Power, as agreed on in the settlement.
"We will be able to deliver more services to more people, save lives. We have a certification as an opioid response program here. We are one of the largest. We give out more Narcan than just about any organization in the city," said Bill Brooks, President and CEO Penn North Recovery Center.
"It's gonna help us to provide more housing, which helps keep people engaged in treatment and keep people off the streets in a safe place where they can go home at night. That'll be part of our residential treatment program," said Brooks.
The rest of the funds will be distributed through an Opioid Restitution Fund that Mayor Brandon Scott ordered to create on Aug. 29.
The remaining defendants in the lawsuit will proceed to trial on Sept. 16, the city said.
Teva will make an initial payment of $35 million by the end of the year, and the rest by July 1, 2025.
Mayor Brandon Scott said the Teva settlement "marks another major victory for the City of Baltimore and further validates our decision to carry on in the fight to hold these companies accountable."
