Walgreens to Pay San Francisco $230 Million in Opioid Settlement

Walgreens agreed to pay San Francisco $230 million to settle claims that it over-dispensed opioids, with most of the funds going toward efforts to combat the drug epidemic in the city, according to court filings and statements from public officials.

The financial agreement was reached after Judge Charles Breyer of San Francisco federal court ruled last year that Walgreens could be held liable for contributing to the opioid crisis in San Francisco after a trial in an earlier phase of the case.

San Francisco sued Walgreens in 2018 along with several other opioid manufacturers, distributors and dispensers, in a case that has now yielded more than $350 million in payouts. Endo, Teva, CVS, Allergan and others have also previously settled with the city.

“Opioids have wreaked havoc across our nation, leading to immense suffering and untold damage,” David Chiu, San Francisco’s city attorney, said in a prepared statement. “Cities like San Francisco have shouldered much of the burden.”  

The funds will be paid out over a 14-year period, with $57 million coming in the first year and just over $200 million in the first eight years. The parties in the case notified the judge of the agreement in a court filing on Wednesday, and a hearing is scheduled for Friday.

A spokesperson for Walgreens did not immediately respond to a request for comment.