U.S. Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Walmart for Unlawful Prescriptions Adding to the National Opioid Crisis

by Kim Souza

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Bentonville-based Walmart on Tuesday, (Dec. 22) claiming the retail giant and its pharmacists did not properly screen opioid prescriptions, and the lack of oversight contributed to the ongoing U.S. controlled substance crisis.

The complaint alleges that this unlawful conduct resulted in hundreds of thousands of violations of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The Justice Department seeks civil penalties, which could total in the billions of dollars, and injunctive relief, according to the release. The federal government is seeking billions in dollars in civil penalties which could be more than $67,000 per for each unlawful prescription.

https://talkbusiness.net/2020/12/doj-files-lawsuit-alleging-walmart-contributed-to-national-opioid-crisis/

Walmart Files Suit Against DOJ, DEA Over Opioid Meds

Walmart filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Thursday (Oct. 22), asking for clarity to pharmacists’ requirements when filling prescriptions containing opioids. The company filed the 54-page complaint in the Eastern District of Texas the Sherman Division.

In 2019, the DEA began to crack down on pharmacists and physicians looking to curb the massive use of the potent drugs and the highly addictive nature of opioids used to manage pain. The complaint claims the government’s recent actions attempt to make up for years of “profound failures” to limit the number of opioid drugs being produced and sold on the market and stop “bad actors” from prescribing them without cause. The suit claims the DEA was given years of reports naming suspicious activity from doctors across the nation who manage to have their licenses still because the regulatory continued to renew them.

https://talkbusiness.net/2020/10/walmart-files-suit-against-doj-dea-over-opioid-meds/

Walmart files suit against DOJ, DEA over opioid meds - Talk Business & Politics

Walmart filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on Thursday (Oct. 22), asking for clarity to pharmacists' requirements when filling prescriptions containing opioids. The company filed the 54-page complaint in the Eastern District of Texas the Sherman Division.