Justice Department Sues Walgreens Over Allegedly Filling Unlawful Opioid Prescriptions

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Walgreens, alleging the drugstore chain filled “unlawful” opioid prescriptions over a decade, despite clear “red flags” signaling their illegitimacy.

The complaint, filed in the Northern District of Illinois, claims Walgreens pressured its pharmacists to dispense prescriptions without verifying their validity, allowing millions of opioid pills to flow illegally into communities.

“Walgreens allegedly ignored substantial evidence from multiple sources that its stores were dispensing unlawful prescriptions,” stated the DOJ in a press release. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton emphasized that these actions contributed significantly to the opioid epidemic, as millions of pills were illegally dispensed.

The government accuses Walgreens of violating the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by filling millions of questionable prescriptions and breaching the False Claims Act (FCA) by seeking reimbursements from federal healthcare programs. Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual stressed the importance of enforcing laws to protect communities from opioid misuse.

The lawsuit was partly triggered by whistleblowers who previously worked at Walgreens, reporting these alleged illegal activities. Walgreens, in response, is requesting the court to shield the company from enforcement of “arbitrary rules” it argues were never officially adopted. “We will not stand by and allow the government to put our pharmacists in a no-win situation,” said the company, defending the integrity of its staff.

This lawsuit follows a similar action against CVS Health last month, alleging its role in fueling the opioid crisis by filling illegal prescriptions for profit.