Walmart Is Paying $50,000,000 To Settle DOJ Claims Over Opioid Prescriptions Lawsuit

Walmart is settling a federal lawsuit by paying $50 million over allegations that its pharmacies illegally filled thousands of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances.

The Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency accuse the retailer of violating the Controlled Substances Act at its roughly 4,600 pharmacies by ignoring red flags including dangerous drug combinations, excessive or early refills, and prescriptions from suspected pill mills.

The complaint alleged that Walmart’s compliance team knew of the issues yet allowed the dispensing to continue.

In addition to the payment, Walmart entered a memorandum of agreement with the DEA that requires a hotline for reporting suspected illegal dispensing, proactive monitoring of pharmacy patterns, and evaluation of suspicious prescribers.

DEA Assistant Administrator Cheri Oz addressed the responsibility of pharmacies.

“This $50 million settlement makes clear that pharmacies have a responsibility to identify and prevent the unlawful dispensing of controlled substances. Filling illegitimate opioid prescriptions puts patients and communities at risk and undermines the safeguards designed to prevent the diversion and misuse of potentially addictive medications. This settlement addresses past conduct while establishing clear compliance obligations designed to strengthen safeguards and help prevent these failures from happening again.”

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