Page 4 - Rusty Webb News Today

CHARLESTON — Fingers were pointed and blame was thrown all around a federal courtroom as a retired Drug Enforcement Administration official and attorneys for three drug distributors butted heads for a second full day of testimony. Joe Rannazzisi, the former director of the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, was under cross-examination for the entirety of June 9’s testimony by attorneys for AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson. Huntington and Cabell County sued the nations three...

CHARLESTON — Fingers were pointed and blame was thrown all around a federal courtroom as a retired Drug Enforcement Administration official and attorneys for three drug distributors butted heads for a second full day of testimony.

CHARLESTON – A key former Drug Enforcement Administration official spent the day on the witness stand giving testimony between objections, legal limitations and frustrations.

Cabell County Sheriff Chuck Zerkle CHARLESTON – At the landmark federal opioid trial, Cabell County Sherriff Chuck Zerkle testified being directly involved in Huntington, once deemed “epicenter of the opioid crisis,” has evolved.  During his testimony May 27, Zerkle said he wanted to make a difference and to help combat issues he believes are harming the community. “One of the reasons I ran for sheriff was I felt I could make a difference in our community,” sa...

CHARLESTON – As the landmark federal opioid trial concluded its fourth week, attorneys for Cardinal Health probed an addiction science professor from Marshall University about recovery programs and estimated costs.  The City of Huntington and the Cabell County Commission sued three of the nation’s top pharmaceutical distribution companies – AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson – in 2017 seeking compensation over claims the companies helped fuel the opioid epidemic by sending...

CHARLESTON – All three major drug distribution companies objected to Cabell County and Huntington attorneys bringing in an expert witness with a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration background to examine opioid data.  The City of Huntington and Cabell County sued three of the largest distribution companies – AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson Corp – in 2017, seeking the parties be held responsible for shipping over 81 million prescription pain pills into the area of 100,000 ...

CHARLESTON – Attorneys representing Cabell County and the City of Huntington probed a McKesson sales representative on warning customers of nearing threshold limits, pushing increases and pushing sales – including controlled substances.  Huntington and Cabell County sued the nations three largest pharmaceutical distribution companies – AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson – in 2017 seeking to hold the companies accountable for their alleged part in the opioid epidemic by sen...

CHARLESTON – As the landmark federal opioid trial entered its fourth week, plaintiffs jumped into McKesson Corporation’s threshold guidelines and due diligence process.  During testimony on May 24, McKesson Corp. Director of Regulatory Affairs Michael Oriente testified that the Controlled Substance Monitoring Program was being developed as he transitioned into the DRA position.  Under CSMP, a threshold system was created for all schedule two through five substances. Oriente said customers...

CHARLESTON – As the landmark federal opioid trial nears the end of its third week, testimony focused on Cardinal Health’s acknowledgement and regulations related to excessive controlled substance ordering.  The City of Huntington and Cabell County filed suit against three pharmaceutical distribution companies – AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson – in 2017 seeking to hold the companies accountable for their alleged part in the opioid epidemic by sending more than 540,000 op...

CHARLESTON – As the landmark opioid trial continues, lawyers brought in a former AmerisourceBergen’s sales executive to ask what he knew about more than 32 million prescription pain pills being shipped to Huntington and the rest of Cabell County over an eight-year span.   The City of Huntington and the Cabell County Commission sued three of the nation’s top pharmaceutical distribution companies – AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson – in 2017 seeking compensation over clai...