A fresh lawsuit has brought CVS into the spotlight, alleging the pharmacy giant filled illegal opioid prescriptions and billed federal health programs, fueling the nation’s ongoing opioid crisis.
Unsealed in a Rhode Island federal court, the complaint accuses CVS of violating the Controlled Substances Act since 2013 by approving prescriptions for alarming quantities of opioids and dangerous drug combinations. Some of these prescriptions were reportedly tied to so-called “pill mills,” where drugs were dispensed without valid medical justification.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) highlights CVS’s corporate policies as a core factor in these alleged violations, citing performance-driven metrics that led pharmacists to overlook red flags. The complaint details cases where patients succumbed to overdoses shortly after receiving prescriptions filled at CVS locations.
CVS defended its practices, stating it has cooperated with the DOJ’s investigation for years and disputes the allegations.
In 2022, CVS agreed to a $5 billion settlement over similar claims, addressing lawsuits from states, municipalities, and Native American tribes. While the settlement resolved thousands of cases, the company did not admit to any wrongdoing.
The newly unsealed lawsuit originated from a whistleblower complaint by a former CVS employee. It alleges that staffing shortages and profit-driven pressure created a rushed environment where prescription legitimacy was often ignored.
One alarming case involves an Alabama doctor under investigation since 2015, yet CVS continued to fill his prescriptions until his 2016 arrest. Similarly, a Pennsylvania doctor with a history of questionable practices had thousands of prescriptions approved despite internal warnings and online patient reviews labeling him as a “pill pusher.”
The DOJ’s complaint also recounts 10 tragic patient deaths linked to allegedly illegal prescriptions filled by CVS.
With over 800,000 opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. from 1999 to 2023, this lawsuit underscores the ongoing challenges in curbing the epidemic. While data shows a slight decline in overdoses last year, the crisis remains a pressing public health concern.
