Walgreens contributed to San Francisco opioid crisis, judge rules
CBSNov 26, 2022
Judge: Walgreens Contributed to San Francisco’s Opioid Crisis
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Image copyright: Google Maps [via Fox News]
The Facts
On Wed., US District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that Walgreens "substantially contributed" to the opioid epidemic in San Francisco by shipping and dispensing addictive drugs without proper due diligence.
This ruling comes as Walgreens was the only defendant not to settle in a 2018 lawsuit filed by the city that claims the company, drug manufacturers and distributors flooded the city with opioids.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This decision isn't only ineffective but nonsensical. The "suspicious" prescriptions were for legal drugs written by licensed doctors. As pharmacies are just a link in a long chain that caused the opioid crisis, this won't help to tackle the epidemic - it will only make pharmacies reluctant to fill legitimate prescriptions.
Establishment-critical narrative
Pharmacy chains are legally obliged to examine red-flag prescriptions, block them and alert the Drug Enforcement Agency. Walgreens failed to do this. The truth is that pharmacies have as much liability in the nationwide opioid epidemic as drug distributors and manufacturers. They've helped to engender it and failed to review their practices.
