The US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Walgreens, accusing the pharmacy chain of filling millions of unlawful opioid prescriptions. The civil suit alleges that Walgreens pharmacists filled prescriptions for dangerous and excessive quantities of opioids from August 2012 to present. The company is accused of ignoring red flags and pressure-ing its pharmacists to fill prescriptions quickly without verifying their validity.
Four whistleblowers who previously worked for Walgreens have filed similar lawsuits, claiming they were pressured to ignore prescription warnings and warning signs about certain prescribers. Walgreens disputes the allegations, stating that it stands behind its dedicated healthcare professionals and complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
The lawsuit is part of a growing trend of pharmaceutical companies being held accountable for their role in the opioid crisis. The Justice Department has already filed similar lawsuits against CVS, alleging the pharmacy chain filled prescriptions with excessive quantities of opioids and made “trinity prescriptions” that are a dangerous combination of drugs.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/justice-department-lawsuit-walgreens-filled-millions-unlawful-opioid-prescriptions