The DOJ announced that Walgreens has agreed to a settlement of up to $350 million to resolve allegations of illegally filling unlawful opioid prescriptions and submitting false claims to federal healthcare programs. The settlement includes an initial payment of $300 million, with an additional $50 million contingent on certain conditions, such as a sale or merger of the company before 2032.
According to the government, Walgreens knowingly filled millions of prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances that lacked legitimate medical purposes between August 2012 and March 2023. These included prescriptions for excessive quantities, early refills, and a dangerous combination of drugs known as the “trinity.” Despite clear red flags, Walgreens pharmacists were pressured to fill prescriptions quickly, often without verifying their validity. And compliance officials at Walgreens allegedly ignored evidence of unlawful dispensing and withheld critical information from pharmacists.
This settlement resolves the government’s complaint and a related declaratory judgment action. Upon announcing the settlement, Attorney General Pamela Bondi commented that “[p]harmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit [and] [the] Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction.”
The attorneys at Chilivis Grubman also represent clients of all types and sizes in connection to False Claims Act investigations and litigation. If you need assistance with such a matter, please contact us today.
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