The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Walgreens, accusing the drugstore chain of filling millions of prescriptions over the last decade without a legitimate purpose, including for dangerous amounts of opioids.
The big picture: According to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Walgreens’ pharmacists filled controlled substance prescriptions with clear red flags indicating they were highly likely to be unlawful.
- The company allegedly pressured pharmacists to fill prescriptions without verifying their validity.
- The lawsuit claims that Walgreens filled “unlawful” prescriptions in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act and sought reimbursement from federal health care programs for them, also violating the False Claims Act.
The other side: Walgreens, with over 8,000 locations, defended its pharmacists, stating that they fill legitimate prescriptions for FDA-approved medications written by DEA-licensed prescribers in compliance with all laws and regulations.
Zoom in: The complaint alleges that Walgreens ignored evidence, including warnings from its pharmacists and internal data, that stores were dispensing unlawful prescriptions. The company is also accused of depriving pharmacists of crucial information by preventing communication about particular prescribers.
What they’re saying: Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, stated that the lawsuit aims to hold Walgreens accountable for dispensing dangerous opioids and other drugs illegally over many years.
- “These practices allowed millions of opioid pills and other controlled substances to flow illegally out of Walgreens stores,” Boynton said in a statement.
What we’re watching: Walgreens plans to seek clarification from the court on pharmacy and pharmacist responsibilities and protect against enforcing arbitrary rules not supported by law or regulation.