Walgreens has agreed to pay the government $300 million to settle an opioid lawsuit with the Justice Department. The pharmacy is alleged to have illegally filled millions of invalid prescriptions for controlled substances.
The company then sought payment for many of those invalid prescriptions through federal health care programs, claiming the prescriptions were lawful.
The DOJ's complaint indicated that pharmacists were pressured to fill prescriptions quickly, putting safety at risk. The Justice Department accused Walgreens of pressuring pharmacists to fill prescriptions quickly without taking the time to confirm their legality.
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“Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction.”
If Walgreens is sold, merged, or transferred before fiscal year 2032, the pharmacy would owe the U.S. government an additional $50 million. Walgreens also formed an agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Health and Human Services to address future obligations while dispensing controlled substances. The company must meet certain compliance measures over the next seven years and provide documentation.
The case was brought to light after a group of whistleblowers alerted the government to the allegations. Those whistleblowers will receive 17.25% of the government's recovery from the settlement.
