Health Science

One small town, two drug companies and 12.3 million doses of opioids

By Lenny Bernstein and Katie Zezima February 15 at 2:48 PM

leonard.bernstein@washpost.com; katie.zezima@washpost.com

Two of the nation’s biggest drug distributors shipped 12.3 million doses of powerful opioids to a single pharmacy in a tiny West Virginia town over an eight-year period, a congressional committee revealed Thursday.

The Family Discount Pharmacy in Mount Gay-Shamrock received the drugs from McKesson Corp. and Cardinal Health between 2006 and 2014, according to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The committee is investigating the sale of pills in West Virginia by wholesale drug distributors, which are required by law to monitor and report to the Drug Enforcement Administration suspicious purchase orders for opioids. When they do not, millions of pills can be diverted to users and dealers from a single pharmacy.
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On Jan. 26, in letters to two smaller distributors, the committee cited data showing that wholesalers collectively sent 20.8 million doses of the painkillers to two pharmacies four blocks apart in Williamson, W.Va., a town of 2,900 people. ... The three companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Lenny Bernstein covers health and medicine. He started as an editor on The Washington Post’s National desk in 2000 and has worked in Metro and Sports. Follow @LennyMBernstein

Katie Zezima is a national correspondent covering drugs, guns, gambling and vice in America. She covered the 2016 election and the Obama White House for The Washington Post. Follow @katiezez