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.”
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodard added that the department will vigorously enforce compliance so that profits never justify adding to the opioid epidemic.
In a statement, Walmart said it was pleased to resolve the matter.
The agreement follows Walmart’s 2022 $3.1 billion settlement with states and local governments over similar claims.
Follow us on X, Facebook and Telegram
Don’t Miss a Beat – Subscribe to get email alerts delivered directly to your inbox
 
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any assets including cryptocurrencies, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.
Generated Image: Midjourney
The post Walmart Is Paying $50,000,000 To Settle DOJ Claims Over Opioid Prescriptions Lawsuit appeared first on The Daily Hodl.
