Walmart is settling a federal lawsuit by paying $50 million over allegations that its pharmacies illegally filled thousands of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances.
The Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency accused the retailer of violating the Controlled Substances Act at its approximately 4,600 pharmacies by ignoring red flags including dangerous drug combinations, excessive or early refills, and prescriptions from suspected pill mills. According to the complaint, Walmart's compliance team was aware of these issues yet allowed the dispensing to continue.
Beyond the payment, Walmart has entered a memorandum of agreement with the DEA that requires establishment of a hotline for reporting suspected illegal dispensing, proactive monitoring of pharmacy patterns, and evaluation of suspicious prescribers.
DEA Assistant Administrator Cheri Oz emphasized the responsibility of pharmacies to identify and prevent unlawful dispensing of controlled substances, noting that such actions put patients and communities at risk.
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodard stated that the department will vigorously enforce compliance to ensure that profits do not justify adding to the opioid epidemic.
Walmart said it was pleased to resolve the matter. The settlement follows Walmart's 2022 agreement with states and local governments, in which the retailer paid $3.1 billion over similar claims.
