The US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against pharmacy chain CVS, alleging that it filled illegal opioid prescriptions and billed federal health insurance programs. The complaint, unsealed in Providence, Rhode Island, federal court, claims that CVS violated the Controlled Substances Act by filling prescriptions for dangerous quantities of opioids and combining them with other drugs.
The company’s actions were reportedly driven by performance metrics that led to red flags being ignored. Patients died from overdoses shortly after filling these prescriptions. CVS has previously agreed to pay $5 billion over 10 years to settle similar claims, but denies any wrongdoing in this case.
According to the complaint, CVS maintained inadequate staffing and rushed its pharmacists to fill orders without investigating their legitimacy. Employees expressed concerns about safety issues and profits being prioritized over patient care. The company continued to fill prescriptions for doctors under investigation despite internal warnings.
The lawsuit alleges that 10 patients died after filling these illegal prescriptions at CVS. The Justice Department claims that the company’s actions contributed to a nationwide epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/18/business/doj-cvs-opioid/index.html