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West Virginia to Depose Top Pharma Execs in Opioid Lawsuit

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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – Lawyers representing West Virginia in its lawsuit over the state’s opioid epidemic will depose top executives at the largest prescription drug distributor in the U.S. in coming months.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports five McKesson Corp. executives, including CEO John Hammergren, will be questioned under oath at the company’s San Francisco headquarters the week of April 12, while the company’s West Virginia sales manager, Tim Ashworth, is to be deposed June 12 in Charleston.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office is seeking to hold McKesson responsible amid the state’s opioid epidemic, which is widely blamed on the oversupply of prescription painkillers.

McKesson executives will be asked whether the company offered bonuses or commissions to employees for increased opioid sales. McKesson has denied awarding bonuses tied to controlled substances sales.