DEERFIELD, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Walgreens, alleging that the pharmacy chain unlawfully filled millions of prescriptions, many of which involved excessive amounts of opioids, over the past ten years. The lawsuit was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and describes how Walgreens’ pharmacists filled prescriptions despite significant warning signs indicating potential illegitimacy. It argues that Walgreens maintained a practice of pressuring its pharmacists to process these prescriptions without adequately verifying their authenticity.
The legal action claims that Walgreens’ actions constituted violations of the federal Controlled Substances Act by filling prescriptions that were considered “unlawful” and by seeking reimbursements from federal healthcare programs in defiance of the False Claims Act. As one of the leading pharmacy chains in the nation, with more than 8,000 locations, Walgreens stated that its pharmacists operate in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations while filling legitimate prescriptions authorized by prescribers licensed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The lawsuit also contends that Walgreens ignored warnings from its own pharmacists and failed to act on internal data indicating that numerous prescriptions were being issued unlawfully. It is claimed that the company hindered pharmacists by restricting their ability to share critical information regarding certain prescribers with one another.
Brian M. Boynton, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, articulated the DOJ’s goal, stating, “This lawsuit seeks to hold Walgreens accountable for the many years that it failed to meet its obligations when dispensing dangerous opioids and other drugs.” He emphasized that the company’s practices enabled millions of opioid pills and other controlled substances to be distributed unlawfully from its stores.
In response, Walgreens expressed its intent to request the court to clarify the obligations of pharmacies and pharmacists and to provide protection against what the company labels arbitrary “rules” that lack any basis in lawful regulation and did not undergo a formal rulemaking process. The chain asserted, “We will not stand by and allow the government to put our pharmacists in a no-win situation, trying to comply with ‘rules’ that simply do not exist.” Furthermore, Walgreens pointed out its commitment to education and the implementation of effective policies aimed at combating opioid misuse.
An analogous lawsuit was filed against CVS in December, prompting the pharmacy chain to assert its strong disagreement with the claims, labeling them a “false narrative.” Federal authorities have been increasingly focused on holding corporations liable for their purported contributions to the opioid addiction epidemic and overdose crisis, which has been linked to over 80,000 fatalities each year in recent times.
While previously the primary cause of these deaths was attributed to prescriptions, the last decade has seen a significant shift, with illicit fentanyl being the main contributor, often mixed into illegal drugs. Over the past eight years, pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers, and pharmacy chains have negotiated around $50 billion in settlements with government bodies, most of which is aimed at addressing the ongoing crisis.
