Walgreens has agreed to pay up to $350 million in a settlement with the US Department of Justice, which accused the pharmacy of filling millions of prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances without proper verification. The company must pay at least $300 million upfront, with an additional $50 million contingent on whether it is sold, merged, or transferred before 2032.
The government alleges that Walgreens’ pharmacists filled prescriptions despite clear red flags, pressured them to fill prescriptions quickly, and even sought payment for invalid prescriptions through Medicare. The company has agreed to establish a new compliance program with training, oversight, and reporting to improve its handling of controlled substances.
This settlement resolves four cases brought by former Walgreens employees who whistleblowed about the company’s practices. It comes amid other major settlements in the opioid crisis, including a $10 billion agreement between CVS and Walgreens last year. Over 50 billion dollars have been paid out to governments since 2015, with most of that money going towards fighting the opioid crisis.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5372221/walgreens-pay-opioid-settlement