CVS, DOJ reach $315M settlement in opioid prescription case
CVS Health has reached a $315 million settlement with the Department of Justice that resolves allegations the pharmacy giant knowingly filled unlawful opioid prescriptions.
CVS Pharmacy and its subsidiaries have agreed to pay a $315 million settlement to resolve a Justice Department case alleging unlawful dispensing of unnecessary opioid prescriptions, officials announced on Tuesday. The 2024 lawsuit accused the healthcare giant of prescribing opioids and other controlled substances to boost profits while neglecting public health and safety.
The settlement marks a key milestone in the Justice Department's campaign against pharmacies allegedly contributing to the U.S. opioid crisis, according to Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. CVS stated its pharmacists were trained in safe medication use and had implemented best practices, while denying the allegations.
The lawsuit argued that CVS violated the Controlled Substances Act by issuing prescriptions for major opioids based on "pill mill" providers and poor staffing, leading to rushed and potentially inappropriate prescriptions. The settlement requires CVS to establish additional safeguards to ensure opioid prescriptions are medically appropriate.
Since 2014, drugmakers, wholesalers, pharmacies, and other entities have settled with U.S. governments for over $50 billion to address the crisis, which has claimed over 100,000 lives annually in recent years.
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- CVS to pay $315 million settlement to resolve DOJ opioid lawsuit fastcompany.com
