Philadelphia has filed a lawsuit against CVS Health, Express Scripts, Optum, and other pharmacy benefit managers, alleging that they recklessly contributed to the city's devastating opioid crisis. The city claims that these companies knowingly over-prescribed opioids, misleadingly marketed them as a way to boost profits, and prioritized financial gain over public health.
The lawsuit says that as middlemen between insurers, manufacturers, and pharmacies, CVS Health, Express Scripts, Optum, and others had access to vast amounts of data on opioid distribution, insurance claims, and clinical records. Despite this knowledge, they allegedly continued to prescribe and dispense opioids in exchange for rebates and fees from pharmaceutical companies.
The city is seeking damages, as well as corrective action programs to address the crisis. Fatal overdoses peaked at 1,400 in Philadelphia in 2022, with nearly all of them involving opioids. The opioid epidemic has disproportionately affected Black and Hispanic communities.
In contrast, CVS Health has denied the allegations, stating that they are "without merit" and intend to defend themselves vigorously. Express Scripts and Optum have not commented on the matter yet.
The lawsuit comes as Philadelphia is seeking to address the impact of its opioid crisis, which has led to a significant increase in municipal services costs and public health concerns. The city's chief public safety director says that holding those responsible for exacerbating the crisis will help right this "tragic wrong" and mitigate the effects on communities like Kensington.
The lawsuit says that as middlemen between insurers, manufacturers, and pharmacies, CVS Health, Express Scripts, Optum, and others had access to vast amounts of data on opioid distribution, insurance claims, and clinical records. Despite this knowledge, they allegedly continued to prescribe and dispense opioids in exchange for rebates and fees from pharmaceutical companies.
The city is seeking damages, as well as corrective action programs to address the crisis. Fatal overdoses peaked at 1,400 in Philadelphia in 2022, with nearly all of them involving opioids. The opioid epidemic has disproportionately affected Black and Hispanic communities.
In contrast, CVS Health has denied the allegations, stating that they are "without merit" and intend to defend themselves vigorously. Express Scripts and Optum have not commented on the matter yet.
The lawsuit comes as Philadelphia is seeking to address the impact of its opioid crisis, which has led to a significant increase in municipal services costs and public health concerns. The city's chief public safety director says that holding those responsible for exacerbating the crisis will help right this "tragic wrong" and mitigate the effects on communities like Kensington.
These pharmacy benefit managers are literally getting away with murder... not literally, but it feels like it 
. Like, how hard is it to just prescribe what's good for people instead of maximizing profits? I mean, we're still talking about a city where you can walk down the street and find guys selling fentanyl out of bags 
. Philly's had it up to here with these guys, and I'm kinda rooting for them on this one 
. It's like, when are they gonna get their priorities straight? Public health ≠ profits 
! Philly is taking CVS & other PBMs to task over their role in the opioid epidemic... they had all the data, but chose profits over people 
. The city's opioid crisis is a tragedy that's still getting worse 
. Fatal overdoses skyrocketed last year - 1400+ in one city alone! 
It's unconscionable that some companies would prioritize their bottom line over public health. Philly is trying to hold them accountable & fix the damage... hopefully, it'll lead to real change 
It's heartbreaking. And it's not just Philadelphia, this is happening all over the country. We need to hold these companies accountable for their role in this epidemic. 
but also feeling so proud of Philly for taking a stand against these big pharma companies 
! Like, how can they just keep pushing opioids on people and profit from it? It's disgusting 
. The fact that they're denying everything is just icing on the cake 
. I'm all about holding these responsible parties accountable 
. Philly needs to get the justice it deserves for all those lives lost 
. And can we talk about how these companies are targeting vulnerable communities? So unfair 
!
. These pharmacy benefit managers have been playing a huge role in the opioid crisis, and it's unacceptable that they're prioritizing profits over people's lives 
. It's not just about the financial gain; it's also about the devastating impact on families and communities who've been affected by opioid addiction. The fact that these companies had access to so much data and still chose to prioritize profits over public health is just shocking 
. I hope the city gets some serious relief from this lawsuit, especially for the Black and Hispanic communities that have been disproportionately affected 
. The fact that these big corps prioritized profits over public health is just unacceptable 
.
. It's not just about CVS, it's a whole industry that's been reckless with people's lives. I mean, who needs data on opioid distribution when you can just keep pushing meds and making bank? 
. It's time for some accountability, especially since Philly is bearing the brunt of this crisis. We need to hold these companies accountable for their actions and not just let them sweep it under the rug 
. Like, these pharmacy benefit managers have been raking it in from opioid sales for years, and we all know how that's turned out 
.
. I mean, if you've got the data to prove it, then why not own up to your mistakes? 
. It's like, how could you?! CVS Health is already denying the allegations, but I'm all about justice 
! Hopefully, these bigwigs will pay up and help address this crisis 
. Let's hope this lawsuit sparks real change 
!
.
They had access to all that info on opioid distribution & clinical records, so it's not like they didn't know what was going on 
.
.
. It's a start, I guess?
. It made me think about how different people's experiences are. Like, in Philly, they're dealing with this massive opioid crisis, and it's heartbreaking... meanwhile, that dude with the dog just has fun 
. I mean, what even is our definition of a "devastating" crisis? 
they need to be made to pay for their recklessness... my heart goes out to the families & communities affected by this epidemic