CVS settles US Justice Department case over opioid prescriptions for $315 million

CVS Health has settled a case with the US Justice Department over allegations that the pharmacy chain unlawfully filled opioid prescriptions, agreeing to pay $315 million, according to a statement from the department on Tuesday. The settlement stems from a case announced by the Justice Department in 2024 aimed at holding CVS accountable for dispensing large quantities of dangerous opioids that contributed to the nationwide addiction epidemic.

The lawsuit claimed that CVS, since 2013, illegally filled opioid and other narcotic prescriptions in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act and then sought reimbursement from federal healthcare programs like Medicare, breaching the False Claims Act.

As part of the settlement agreement, CVS committed to establishing processes for monitoring and reporting potentially illegal dispensing in its pharmacies, as well as evaluating doctors suspected of illegally prescribing opioids. The department's Associate Attorney General, Stanley Woodward, emphasized that the settlement marks a significant step in combating the opioid crisis by targeting pharmacies that unlawfully fulfill prescriptions for controlled substances.

CVS disputed the Justice Department's allegations, stating that it disagreed with the claims and was not admitting wrongdoing. The company reiterated that its over 27,000 pharmacists are well-trained in the safe and appropriate use of medications. Despite this, the Justice Department settled a similar case in August against Walmart, which agreed to pay $50 million to resolve a 2020 lawsuit alleging unlawful opioid prescription dispensing.