CVS agrees to $315 million settlement in DOJ opioid dispensing case
CVS Pharmacy and its affiliates will pay $315 million to resolve a Justice Department lawsuit accusing the chain of unlawfully filling unnecessary opioid prescriptions.
A lawsuit brought by the Justice Department in 2024 claimed that CVS Pharmacy Inc. and related subsidiaries filled opioid and controlled-substance prescriptions that were medically unnecessary, prioritizing profit over public safety. The company has now agreed to a $315 million settlement, though it maintains that it disagrees with the allegations and the agreement contains no admission of guilt. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward described the settlement as a significant milestone in the federal effort to curb the opioid epidemic by targeting pharmacies that violate prescription laws.
CVS asserted that its pharmacists receive training on the safe and appropriate use of all medications and that they act in patients' best interests. The settlement resolves the government’s claims without further litigation.
Why it matters
The settlement highlights ongoing legal pressure on pharmacies to curb improper opioid dispensing and signals continued federal focus on the opioid crisis.
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