On August 17, 2022, a federal judge ordered three of the nation's largest pharmacy chains CVS, Walgreens and Walmart to pay $650.5 million to two Ohio counties, ruling that the companies must be held accountable for their part in fueling the opioid epidemic.

The decision is a companion piece to a November 2021 verdict that found the companies had continued to dispense mass quantities of prescription painkillers over the years while ignoring flagrant signs that the pills were being abused.

Representatives for CVS, Walgreens and Walmart expressed their disappointment in Judge Polster's ruling and said their companies would appeal. Fraser Engerman, a spokesman for Walgreens, described the judge's analysis as flawed, and said the company would appeal. "We never manufactured or marketed opioids nor did we distribute them to the 'pill mills' and internet pharmacies that fueled this crisis," he said.

What is your opinion? To use a few analogies, should (Y o u T u b e) be fined if someone uploads a pirated copy of "The Lion King"? Should gun shops be held liable if an at-risk person buys an automatic rifle and shoots up a mall? What does this event mean for pharmacies in their strategy going forward? Make at least one point that you feel is innovative.