Business & Finance
Walmart settles Justice Department lawsuit over opioid dispensing
The retailer has reached an agreement to resolve allegations that its pharmacies unlawfully filled invalid prescriptions and ignored suspicious orders.
The short version
- Walmart and the U.S. Justice Department have settled a December 2020 lawsuit accusing the retail giant of contributing to the national opioid crisis.
- The lawsuit alleged that Walmart violated the Controlled Substances Act by filling thousands of invalid prescriptions and failing to report suspicious drug orders.
- The financial terms and specific details of the settlement have not been publicly disclosed.
Key facts
- Walmart and the U.S. government reached an agreement to settle a Justice Department lawsuit that accused the retailer of unlawfully dispensing opioids through its pharmacies.[CBS News]
- The Justice Department's lawsuit, filed in December 2020, followed a multiyear investigation and alleged that Walmart violated the Controlled Substances Act.[CBS News]
- Had the case gone to trial and Walmart been held liable, the company faced potential penalties of $67,627 per unlawful prescription filled and $15,691 for each suspicious order left unreported.[CBS News]
What remains uncertain
- The financial terms and specific conditions of the settlement agreement have not been disclosed by either Walmart or the Justice Department.[CBS News]