Walmart to Pay $50 Million in Federal Opioid Settlement Over Invalid Prescriptions, DEA Says

Northeast Radio SD News – National News - The U.S. Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced Friday that Walmart Inc. will pay $50 million to resolve federal allegations that its pharmacies illegally filled thousands of invalid opioid and controlled‑substance prescriptions, violating the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said the settlement underscores the department’s commitment to enforcing federal safeguards designed to prevent prescription drug abuse.

“Today’s settlement proves this Department is committed to putting Americans’ flourishing first,” Woodward said. “Potential profits never justify aiding our Nation’s opioid epidemic.”

Allegations Against Walmart

The government’s complaint, originally filed in December 2020 and later amended, alleged that from June 26, 2013 onward, Walmart pharmacists and members of its corporate compliance team knowingly filled prescriptions that were invalid under federal law.

Federal prosecutors said Walmart’s compliance team:

·        Knew certain prescribers were operating as “pill mills.”

·        Received thousands of refusal‑to‑fill reports from Walmart pharmacists flagging suspicious prescribers.

·        Chose to prioritize business goals over compliance obligations.

One compliance director allegedly wrote that analyzing refusal‑to‑fill reports was less important than “driving sales and patient awareness.”

Walmart pharmacists were also accused of filling prescriptions they recognized as invalid, including:

·        Prescriptions from known pill‑mill prescribers.

·        Dangerous opioid combinations.

·        High‑dose opioid “cocktails.”

·        Excessively repeated or early refill requests for controlled substances.

New Compliance Requirements

Beyond the financial penalty, Walmart agreed to a memorandum of agreement with the DEA that imposes new oversight measures, including:

·        A hotline for employees and patients to report suspected illegal dispensing.

·        Proactive monitoring of pharmacy dispensing patterns.

·        A formal process to evaluate prescribers suspected of illegal activity.

Federal Representation

The case was handled by attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Division Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch, along with prosecutors from U.S. Attorney’s Offices in:

·        District of Delaware

·        Eastern District of North Carolina

·        Middle District of Florida

·        Eastern District of New York

HHS-OIG and the DEA provided investigative support.

No Determination of Liability

The Justice Department emphasized that the settlement resolves allegations only, and no court has determined Walmart’s liability.

More information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch is available at the Justice Department’s website.