Walmart Reaches Settlement with DOJ Over Opioid Lawsuit
Walmart has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over allegations that its pharmacies unlawfully dispensed opioid prescriptions, resolving one of the largest civil actions against a company in connection to the opioid crisis. The lawsuit, filed in 2020 and narrowed by a federal judge in 2024, accused Walmart of violating the Controlled Substances Act by dispensing invalid prescriptions between 2013 and the time of filing. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but it comes after Walmart paid $3.1 billion to resolve similar lawsuits from state and local governments four years ago. The DOJ and Walmart both expressed satisfaction with the resolution, though no details on potential payouts or compensation processes for individuals have been announced as of August 28. Walmart's shares rose slightly following news of the settlement, indicating a positive market reaction despite the company’s past legal challenges in opioid-related litigation involving other major pharmacy chains and drug manufacturers.
Topics: DOJ settlement lawsuits opioid crisis pharmacy operations