Economic Models Under Scrutiny
Mason defended his approach, saying it attempts to measure the true economic harm inflicted on hospitals that treated patients suffering from opioid-related conditions, many of whom were uninsured or underinsured.
But Swanson pushed back, highlighting that Mason’s models do not account for critical variables — including the number of prescriptions written, or whether hospitalizations were caused by heroin, fentanyl, or legally prescribed opioids.
The defense teams implied that by excluding these nuances, Mason’s numbers exaggerated the scale of pharmacy responsibility.
Hospitals Seek Accountability Amid National Crisis
The hospitals — represented by Warren Burns, Darren Nicholson, and colleagues at Burns Charest LLP — argue that CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart failed in their duty of due diligence, routinely filling suspect prescriptions and ignoring red flags in pursuit of profit.
They claim this negligence forced hospitals to absorb the staggering costs of treating overdoses, addiction-related complications, and long-term recovery care.
Mason’s testimony painted a grim picture: “Hospitals didn’t just lose money — they bore the human and economic burden of a public health catastrophe.”
