Walgreens has agreed to pay up to $350 million in a settlement with the DOJ, which accused the pharmacy giant of knowingly filling millions of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances, and submitting false claims to the federal government.
The DOJ, along with the DEA and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) announced on Monday that Walgreens has agreed to pay $300 million for violating the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Additionally, Walgreens had been accused of seeking payment for many of its invalid prescriptions by Medicare and other federal healthcare programs, in violation of the False Claims Act (FCA), the DOJ said. The company will pay another $50 million if it is sold or undergoes a merger before 2032.
The government’s complaint, filed on January 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, accuses Walgreens of knowingly filling millions of illegal controlled substance prescriptions from August 2012 through March 1, 2023.
The illegal prescriptions included “excessive quantities of opioids,” as well as filling those prescriptions “significantly early,” and for filling prescriptions for the “especially dangerous and abused combination of three drugs” known as a “trinity,” the DOJ explained. The trinity refers to the combination of at least one opioid, a benzodiazepine, and carisoprodol. The combination is popular with addicts but even more dangerous than opioids by themselves.
Walgreens pharmacists are accused of filling these prescriptions despite clear “red flags” suggesting “a high likelihood that the prescriptions were invalid because they lacked a legitimate medical purpose or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice,” the agency added.
The pharmacy wass also accused of pressuring its employees to fill prescriptions quickly, without taking the time to confirm that each prescription was legal.
Moreover, Walgreens’ compliance officials are accused of ignoring “substantial evidence” that its pharmacies were handing out illegal prescriptions, and even purposely depriving its own pharmacists of crucial information.
“Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “This Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction.”
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York John J. Durham, meanwhile, said, “This settlement holds Walgreens accountable for failing to comply with its critical responsibility to prevent the diversion of opioids and other controlled substances.”
“We strongly disagree with the government’s legal theory and admit no liability,” Walgreens spokesperson Fraser Engerman said in a statement, according to a report by NBC News.
“Our pharmacists are dedicated healthcare professionals who care deeply about patient safety and continue to play a critical role in providing education and resources to help combat opioid misuse and abuse across our country,” Engerman added.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
