CVS Agrees to Pay $315 Million to Settle Federal Allegations Over Unlawful Opioid Dispensing
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on October 13 that CVS Pharmacy, Inc. has agreed to pay $315 million to resolve federal allegations that, over more than a decade, it unlawfully dispensed opioids and other controlled substances and submitted false claims for reimbursement to federal health care programs.
The settlement covers conduct from October 17, 2013, through December 2, 2025, the department said. The government alleged that CVS pharmacies unlawfully dispensed opioids, including high-dose prescriptions issued by so-called “pill mills,” in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which requires pharmacists to verify that a prescription serves a legitimate medical purpose before dispensing; it also alleged that CVS's resulting reimbursement claims violated the False Claims Act (FCA).
“The unlawful distribution of controlled substances has fueled the opioid epidemic and wreaked havoc across the country. We will continue to hold accountable those accused of illegally distributing these drugs,” said Deputy Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “This case demonstrates our commitment to enforcing the False Claims Act and holding accountable those accused of submitting claims for ineligible drugs to government programs,” said Brett A. Shumate, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division.
The Justice Department said the settlement resolves allegations only and that there has been no determination of liability. The agreement includes proactive monitoring and other safeguards intended to prevent future violations, and CVS has agreed to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to strengthen oversight of controlled-substance compliance at its pharmacies. When the government filed suit in December 2024, CVS said it “strongly disagreed” with the allegations.
The government filed the case on December 13, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, where CVS is headquartered. The matter was handled by the Justice Department's Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Rhode Island, with the DEA, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service participating in the investigation. (Based on the U.S. Department of Justice press release)
The government’s suit also pointed to prescriptions for the drug combination known in the industry as the "trinity," and alleged that CVS pharmacy performance metrics put efficiency pressure on pharmacists ahead of safety checks. The case grew out of a whistleblower suit by former employee Hillary Estright; the federal government filed suit on December 13, 2024, in the District of Rhode Island. The settlement also includes a monitoring arrangement between CVS and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 加州纳帕一家CVS药房门店。Missvain 摄，CC BY 4.0，维基共享资源
