Baltimore Wins $266M in Opioid Case Against Drug Distributors

Baltimore Wins $266M in Opioid Case Against Drug Distributors

Introduction

Baltimore has secured a $266 million victory in its lawsuit against major drug distributors McKesson and Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), accusing them of fueling the opioid crisis.

The Verdict 

A jury in the Circuit Court for Baltimore found McKesson liable for $192 million and Cencora for $74 million in compensatory damages, concluding a nearly two-month trial. The verdict addresses the harms caused by the companies' alleged negligence.

Impact on Baltimore

Baltimore, severely impacted by the opioid epidemic, opted out of national opioid settlements to pursue greater compensation independently. In 2022, the city, with a population of around 569,000, recorded 904 opioid overdose deaths, far exceeding the national average of 25 deaths per 100,000 people.

The City seeks additional funds

The city plans to seek an additional $9 billion in abatement funds next month to cover the ongoing costs of addressing the crisis, a legal remedy separate from the awarded damages. Baltimore alleges that McKesson and Cencora ignored clear warning signs that the opioids they distributed were being diverted into illegal channels.

Companies' stand on the verdict

Both companies deny wrongdoing and have announced plans to appeal the verdict. McKesson argued that the decision misrepresents its limited role as a pharmaceutical distributor, while Cencora claimed the ruling complicates its efforts to balance medication access with preventing substance abuse.

Baltimore’s legal team celebrated the verdict as a step toward recovery for the city, which has been one of the hardest-hit communities in the nation. The ruling is part of Baltimore’s broader legal efforts against various entities involved in the opioid supply chain. Including prior settlements with companies such as Walgreens and Johnson & Johnson, Baltimore has now secured more than $668 million in total compensation.

Past Lawsuits

McKesson, which supplied about half of Baltimore’s opioids between 2006 and 2019, has faced similar legal challenges in the past. In 2017, it reached a $150 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, admitting to failures in preventing illegal opioid sales. Cencora is also under scrutiny, facing a separate civil lawsuit from the Department of Justice for its alleged role in the opioid epidemic.

3,000 lawsuits & 800,000 lives claimed by opioids

The Baltimore lawsuit is among more than 3,000 filed by local governments, Native American tribes, and states against drug manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies nationwide. While most of these cases have been resolved through national settlements totaling approximately $46 billion, Baltimore’s independent approach underscores the significant financial and societal toll of the opioid crisis, which has claimed over 800,000 lives in the U.S. since 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The opioid crisis has been haunting the U.S. for ages now, and lawsuits against drugmakers developing it are growing at a rapid pace. Stay updated about the latest developments in opioid litigation by subscribing to our newsletter.