The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Walgreens Boots Alliance, one of the nation's leading drugstore chains, accusing it of dispensing controlled substances without a legitimate medical reason.
The lawsuit, filed on January 16, 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that Walgreens and its subsidiaries violated the decade-long Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and subsequent CSA by seeking unreasonable reimbursements. False Claims Act. Federal health care programs.
The government's legal complaint alleges that starting in August 2012, Walgreens knowingly processed millions of prescriptions that were either medically unnecessary, invalid, or outside the scope of standard professional practice.
The complaint alleges that the prescriptions included dangerous doses of opioids, premature refills of the drugs and a combination drug known as the "holy trinity" - a combination of opioids, benzodiazepines and muscle relaxants. Potent Mixture - Known for high abuse potential. .
The complaint further accuses Walgreens pharmacists of continuing to fill prescriptions despite clear illegal "red flags."
Walgreens allegedly turned a blind eye to compelling evidence from its pharmacists and internal data pointing to illegal prescription fillings.
The complaint describes how Walgreens allegedly exerted undue pressure on pharmacists to expedite prescription fulfillment at the expense of the due diligence required to verify the legitimacy of each prescription.
Walgreens allegedly withheld critical information from pharmacists, including limiting communications about suspicious prescribers.
Walgreens is accused of violating regulations by knowingly handling these illegal prescriptions.
"This lawsuit seeks to hold Walgreens accountable for years of failure to meet its obligations when dispensing dangerous opioids and other drugs," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton.
“Our complaint alleges that Walgreens pharmacists filled millions of controlled substance prescriptions with clear red flags that indicated the prescriptions were most likely illegal and that Walgreens systematically filled them with Pharmacists are pressured to fill prescriptions, including controlled substance prescriptions, without taking the time to confirm their validity.
“These practices allow millions of opioids and other controlled substances to be illegally diverted from Walgreens stores.”
In December 2024, the Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit accusing CVS Pharmacy and its subsidiaries of violating the federal CSA by issuing "illegal" prescriptions.
"Walgreens sued for allegedly dispensing illegal prescriptions" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a brand of GlobalData.
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