Ferguson sues pharmacies over opioid prescriptions

OLYMPIA — Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson is suing three major national pharmacy chains, claiming the three failed to do anything to prevent the state’s opioid epidemic.

Ferguson filed suit in King County Superior Court against Albertsons, Kroger and Rite Aid, and includes Albertsons subsidiary Safeway, Rite Aid subsidiary Bartell Drugs, and Kroger subsidiaries QFC and Fred Meyer, according to the press release. In the lawsuit, Ferguson alleges the retail pharmacies ignored federal regulations and “put profits over safety” by oversupplying prescription opioids in Washington state, the press release said.

“Opioids tore apart Washington families, overburdened our health care system and caused an epidemic of addiction we are still struggling to contain,” Ferguson said in the statement. “My office won a billion dollars to help fund recovery efforts, but I am not done. I will continue to hold accountable the corporations that enriched themselves off the suffering of Washington families.”

The attorney general was referring to a settlement with five other companies — CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Teva Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie subsidiary Allergen — that produced or sold opioids, bringing the state’s total financial recovery to roughly $1.1 billion, the press release said.

Under the agreement, the companies agreed to tighter restrictions and monitoring of opioid prescriptions, the press release said.