The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against CVS, accusing the pharmaceutical chain of fueling the opioid epidemic by filling illegal prescriptions and billing them to the federal government. The lawsuit, unsealed Wednesday in Rhode Island, alleges CVS’s practices ignored warnings and endangered public safety.
Prosecutors claim CVS pharmacists filled excessive and dangerous prescriptions starting in October 2013. The company allegedly maintained insufficient staffing and pressured employees to work quickly, creating an unsafe environment for handling controlled substances.
The U.S. Department of Justice just announced a lawsuit against CVS. Here's why: pic.twitter.com/7KpPZrus4O
— TheStreet (@TheStreet) December 19, 2024
“The practices alleged contributed to the opioid crisis and opioid-related deaths,” stated Brian Boynton, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General. The DOJ seeks accountability for CVS’s actions.
The lawsuit cites examples of CVS ignoring red flags, including continuing to fill prescriptions for an Alabama doctor under investigation until his arrest in 2016. Another case involved a Pennsylvania doctor accused of prescribing opioids without patient evaluations.
CVS denied the allegations, claiming cooperation with the DOJ during its multi-year investigation. “We strongly disagree with the allegations and false narrative within this complaint,” CVS stated.
Isn't CVS one of the pharmacies that has been refusing to fill Ivermectin prescriptions?
DOJ accuses CVS of billing government for illegal opioid prescriptions@MdBreathe https://t.co/moedOv6dIR via @JustTheNews
— Vicki 🇺🇲 (@NoWarningShot_) December 19, 2024
CVS knowingly dispensed 'massive' amount of invalid opioid prescriptions: DOJ lawsuit – ABC News. Caught, but nothing will happen, too much money https://t.co/4YFJvcoJhh
— terry saxton (@kerbochard) December 19, 2024
This case builds on previous legal challenges against CVS. In 2022, the company agreed to pay nearly $5 billion to settle lawsuits from state, local and tribal governments. That settlement did not include an admission of wrongdoing.
The DOJ’s lawsuit originated from a whistleblower complaint, highlighting concerns over corporate practices contributing to the opioid crisis.
