Associated Press Published

Drug Company Probing Lawsuit Allegations at Union's Request

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At a union’s request, a California-based drug wholesaler is looking into allegations in a 2016 lawsuit that the company flooded West Virginia with prescription pain pills.

McKesson Corp. spokeswoman Kristin Hunter told the Charleston Gazette-Mail that the San Francisco-based company appointed a committee to review issues raised by the Teamsters union, which has pension and benefit funds that invest in McKesson.

The committee has hired a Palo Alto, California, law firm. According to a May 11 letter to Teamsters Local 175 President Ken Hall in South Charleston, the law firm has agreed to meet with Teamsters officials.

According to a lawsuit filed by West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, McKesson awarded bonuses and commissions to sales managers while “West Virginia was drowning” in millions of doses of addictive painkillers.