Walmart has agreed to pay $50 million to resolve allegations that its pharmacies illegally filled thousands of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
The Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration alleged that Walmart’s compliance team and pharmacists knowingly filled the invalid prescriptions beginning June 26, 2013, according to an Aug. 28 news release. The government said the compliance team knew certain prescribers were operating as “pill mills” but failed to act, while pharmacists ignored red flags, including dangerous opioid combinations and repeated fills of high doses of commonly abused opioids.
In addition to the $50 million payment, Walmart entered into a memorandum of agreement with the DEA outlining its future obligations for dispensing controlled substances. The agreement requires Walmart to establish a hotline for employees and patients to report suspected illegal dispensing and to proactively monitor pharmacy dispensing patterns.
The settlement resolves allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
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