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 residents. Five of 77 pharmacies in Cabell County and Huntington, received over 23.2 million pills between 2006 and 2014 according to the data released by DEA.
Attorney Paul Farrell Jr., representing Cabell County, called James Rafalski, a former DEA official to the stand May 26. Rafalski investigated registrants, collect due diligence files and put together reports to determine effective controls to prevent diversion on behalf of the DEA.