National Opioid Settlements: Teva, Allergan, CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart Santa Rosa city, CA
Reference Number: CL-383390
TO LOCAL POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS:
THIS NOTICE CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT NATIONAL OPIOID SETTLEMENTS.
SETTLEMENT OVERVIEW
Proposed nationwide settlement agreements (“Settlements”) have been reached that would resolve opioid litigation brought by states, local political subdivisions, and special districts against two pharmaceutical manufacturers, Teva and Allergan (“Manufacturers”), and three pharmacies, CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart (“Pharmacies”). Local political subdivisions and special districts are referred to as “subdivisions.” The Settlements require the settling Manufacturers and Pharmacies to pay billions of dollars to abate the opioid epidemic. The Settlements total over $20 billion. Of this amount, approximately $17 billion will be used by participating states and subdivisions to remediate and abate the impacts of the opioid crisis.
Depending on participation by states and subdivisions, the Settlements require:
Teva to pay up to $3.34 billion over 13 years and to provide either $1.2 billion of its generic version of the drug Narcan over 10 years or an agreed upon cash equivalent over 13 years; Allergan to pay up to $2.02 billion over 7 years;
CVS to pay up to $4.90 billion over 10 years;
Walgreens to pay up to $5.52 billion over 15 years; and Walmart to pay up to $2.74 billion in 2023, and all payments to be made within 6 years.
As provided under the Agreements, these figures are net of amounts attributable to prior settlements between the Defendants and certain states/subdivisions, and include amounts for attorneys’ fees and costs.
The Settlements also contain injunctive relief governing opioid marketing, sale, distribution, and/or dispensing practices.
Each of the proposed settlements has two key participation steps.
First, each eligible state decides whether to participate in each Settlement. A list of participating states for each settlement can be found at https://nationalopioidsettlement.com .
Second, eligible subdivisions within each participating state decide whether to participate in each Settlement. The more subdivisions that participate, the more funds flow to that state and its subdivisions.
Any subdivision that does not participate cannot directly share in any of the settlement funds, even if the subdivision’s state is settling and other participating subdivisions are sharing in settlement funds. If the state does not participate in a particular Settlement, the subdivisions in that state are not eligible to participate in that Settlement.
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WHO IS RUBRIS INC. AND WHAT IS THE IMPLEMENTATION ADMINISTRATOR? The Settlements provide that an Implementation Administrator will provide notice and manage the collection of participation forms. Rubris Inc. is the Implementation Administrator for these new Settlements and was also retained for the 2021 national opioid settlements.
WHY IS YOUR SUBDIVISION RECEIVING THIS NOTICE?
Your state has elected to participate in one or more of the Settlements with the Manufacturers and/or the Pharmacies, and your subdivision may participate in those Settlements in which your state has elected to participate. This notice is also sent directly to counsel for such subdivisions if the Implementation Administrator has their information.
If you are represented by an attorney with respect to opioid claims, please contact them. Subdivisions can participate in the Settlements whether or not they filed a lawsuit or are represented.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND MORE INFORMATION?
Detailed information about the Settlements, including each settlement agreement, may be found at:
https://nationalopioidsettlement.com. This website also includes information about how the Settlements are being implemented in most states and how funds will be allocated within your state.
You are encouraged to review the settlement agreement terms and discuss the terms and benefits with your counsel, your Attorney General’s Office, and other contacts within your state. Information and documents regarding the Settlements and your state allocation can be found on the settlement website at https://nationalopioidsettlement.com
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Your subdivision will need to decide whether to participate in the proposed Settlements, and subdivisions are encouraged to work through this process before the April 18, 2023 deadline.
HOW DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE SETTLEMENTS?
The Settlements require that you take affirmative steps to “opt in” to the Settlements.
In the next few weeks, you will receive documentation and instructions from the Implementation Administrator or, in some cases, your Attorney General’s Office. In order to participate in a settlement, a subdivision must sign and return the required Participation Form for that settlement.
Please add the following email addresses to your “safe” list so emails do not go to spam / junk folders:
[email protected] and [email protected] . Please monitor your email for the Participation Forms and instructions.
All required documentation must be signed and returned on or before April 18, 2023.