CVS Pays $315M Over Opioid Misdispensing

CVS Pharmacy and its subsidiaries have agreed to a $315 million settlement with the Justice Department. This resolves a 2024 lawsuit accusing the company of unlawfully dispensing highly addictive opioids.

Officials stated the lawsuit alleged CVS provided massive amounts of opioids to increase profits, neglecting public health. This settlement is a key part of the government's strategy to address the U.S. opioid and overdose crisis. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward emphasized its significance in cracking down on pharmacies fulfilling illegitimate prescriptions.

CVS maintained that its pharmacists received training for safe medication use and that the company implemented robust programs for decision-making. The company stated it disagreed with the lawsuit's claims and that the settlement does not admit wrongdoing. CVS also noted that pharmacists faced unclear standards when filling opioid prescriptions.

The lawsuit, filed under the Biden administration, alleged violations of the Controlled Substances Act. It claimed CVS filled prescriptions from "pill mills" and that poor staffing and incentive policies led pharmacists to dispense opioids without proper verification.

As part of the settlement, CVS must implement additional safeguards to ensure opioid and controlled substance prescriptions are dispensed only when medically appropriate. This resolution follows other significant settlements with drugmakers, wholesalers, and pharmacies totaling over $50 billion in the past decade.