The Justice Department is suing Walgreens, claiming that since 2012, pharmacists have filled millions of prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose or were not valid. The federal government accuses Walgreens pharmacists of violating the Controlled Substances Act, as well as the False Claims Act.
The head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division alleged the pharmacy giant contributed to the deadly opioid epidemic in the United States. Brian Boynton, who is with the Justice Department, said in a statement that the lawsuit seeks to “hold Walgreens accountable for the many years that it failed to meet its obligations when dispensing dangerous opioids and other drugs.”
Boynton said there were clear red flags that prescriptions were likely illegal and unlawful.
The Justice Department statement says that four whistleblowers, who previously worked for Walgreens, came forward. The Drug Enforcement Agency added that “Walgreens and its pharmacists have an obligation to ensure that every prescription they fill is legitimate and issued responsibly. Walgreens placed the public in danger by disregarding their responsibility.”
Walgreens is owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance. It posted a statement on the company website saying, “We will not stand by and allow the government to put our pharmacists in a no-win situation, trying to comply with rules that simply do not exist.”
The company said it stands by its pharmacists, who live in the communities they serve and who fill legitimate prescriptions for FDA-approved medications.
Walgreens has more than 8,000 pharmacies nationwide. It is now asking the court to clarify the responsibilities of pharmacies and pharmacists. It accuses the government of attempting to enforce arbitrary rules and not the law.
