McKesson Corp.'s settlement of an opioid lawsuit with West Virginia — the state with the highest U.S. rate of drug-overdose deaths — may encourage other states to seek quick cash to cope with the rising societal costs of addiction.
West Virginia agreed to accept $37 million from McKesson to settle claims of improper distribution of the painkillers to pharmacies, though the company admitted no wrongdoing, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said Thursday. The money will help defray some of the $8.8 billion in costs to the state's economy associated with the opioid crisis.
