Phoenix, AZ, October 3, 2026 —

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced legal action this week against two major pharmacy benefit managers, Optum and Express Scripts. The lawsuits allege that both companies played a role in contributing to Arizona’s ongoing opioid epidemic.

The specific details of the allegations, including the nature of Optum’s and Express Scripts’ alleged contributions to the crisis, were not immediately available in the provided summary. The suits were filed by the Attorney General’s office, seeking to hold the companies accountable for their part in the widespread opioid addiction and overdose deaths impacting the state.

Pharmacy benefit managers, often referred to as PBMs, act as intermediaries between drug manufacturers, pharmacies, and insurance companies. They negotiate drug prices and create formularies, which are lists of covered medications. Critics have previously raised concerns about the opaque nature of PBM operations and their influence over prescription practices, particularly concerning highly addictive pain medications.

The lawsuits filed by Attorney General Mayes are part of a broader legal trend across the United States where states and local governments have sued various entities within the pharmaceutical supply chain, including manufacturers, distributors, and PBMs, seeking damages and accountability for the opioid crisis.

Neither Optum nor Express Scripts immediately released a statement or responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuits at the time of this report. Information regarding the specific legal claims, the requested damages, or the timeline for these proceedings was not provided in the initial summary. The Attorney General’s office has not yet detailed the next steps in the legal process.


Story summarized from the original created by Katherine Davis-Young on www.kjzz.org, see more information here.

Media gallery

SignalNewsAI
About The Author
SignalNewsAI