A civil lawsuit filed by the Justice Department alleges that CVS knowingly dispensed massive quantities of opioids and other controlled substances with no legitimate medical purpose. The lawsuit claims that the pharmacy chain filled thousands of prescriptions from “known pill mills” and ignored red flags indicating potential abuse.
CVS has been accused of prioritizing speed over safety, despite having experts recommend compliance measures to reduce invalid prescriptions. The company allegedly feared that implementing these measures would increase labor costs and slow down prescription filling.
The lawsuit says CVS’ actions contributed to the opioid crisis, a national public health emergency with devastating effects in the US. The government is seeking civil penalties, injunctive relief, and damages to address what it calls CVS’ unlawful practices.
CVS has responded by calling the lawsuit “misguided” and stating that company officials strongly disagree with the allegations. However, the company’s spokesperson acknowledges that pharmacists are under pressure to dispense opioids at a certain level, which can lead to second-guessing.
The DOJ’s lawsuit is seen as a significant development in the ongoing fight against opioid misuse.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/cvs-knowingly-dispensed-massive-amount-invalid-opioid-prescriptions/story?id=116927855