For years, the question was whether companies would be held accountable for an overdose crisis that a flood of prescription drugs helped spark.Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart said in a statement that it “strongly disputes” allegations in lawsuits from state and local governments that its pharmacies improperly filled prescriptions for the powerful prescription painkillers.In 'zero-COVID' China, 1 case locks down Peking UniversityJapan to reopen to cruise ships after 2 1/2-year banKentucky Supreme Court weighs future of abortion accessVeterans home COVID-19 outbreak results in $58M settlement“Walmart believes the settlement framework is in the best interest of all parties and will provide significant aid to communities across the country in the fight against the opioid crisis, with aid reaching state and local governments faster than any other nationwide opioid settlement to date,” the company said in a statement.“Companies like Walmart need to step up and help by ensuring Pennsylvanians get the treatment and recovery resources they need,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who last week was elected governor of his state, said in a statement.“This deal with Walmart adds to the important progress we’ve already achieved through our settlements with the opioid manufacturers and distributors – and we’re not done yet.”The share of Walmart’s proposed settlement going to Native American tribes is $78 million, to be divided among all the federally recognized tribes, said Robins Kaplan, a law firm representing tribes."