Walmart settles US government's opioid lawsuit
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that Walmart has settled a federal lawsuit accusing the company of contributing to the national opioid crisis by unlawfully dispensing prescriptions from its pharmacies since at least 2013. The case, which began in 2020 and was one of the most significant against a single entity over opioids, alleged violations of the Controlled Substances Act. The settlement resolves allegations that Walmart pharmacists dispensed invalid prescriptions despite awareness by compliance personnel. Earlier this year, Judge Colm Connolly dismissed some claims but allowed others to proceed. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed immediately. This follows a $3.1 billion settlement in 2022 with state and local governments over similar allegations.
Topics: corporate accountability lawsuits opioid epidemic pharmaceuticals