Walgreens settles opioid prescription violation charges

Key Takeaways

• Walgreens to pay $300 million to resolve allegations it unlawfully dispensed and billed for millions of opioid and controlled substance prescriptions, with an additional $50 million penalty if sold or merged before 2032.

• Federal investigation reveals systemic failures at Walgreens, including filling prescriptions with clear red flags and pressuring pharmacists to prioritize speed over safety.

• Landmark compliance measures imposed, including seven years of DEA oversight and a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG to prevent future violations.

Walgreens Boots Alliance and its subsidiaries have agreed to pay $300 million to settle federal allegations that the company illegally dispensed millions of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances over more than a decade.

The U.S. Department of Justice said the settlement marks one of the largest civil settlements involving the Controlled Substances Act in U.S. history, following a sweeping investigation led by the DOJ, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The settlement also resolves False Claims Act allegations related to billing federal health programs for these prescriptions.

Pattern of negligence

From August 2012 to March 1, 2023, Walgreens pharmacies allegedly filled prescriptions that lacked legitimate medical purposes or were not written in the usual course of professional practice. The DOJ claims these included excessive quantities of opioids, early refills, and so-called “trinity” drug combinations — a cocktail of opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants known to heighten overdose risk.

The complaint further claimed that Walgreens' corporate leadership fostered a profit-over-safety culture, where pharmacists were pressured to fulfill prescriptions at breakneck speed without adequate due diligence. Compliance staff allegedly withheld crucial data on suspicious prescribers from frontline pharmacists and discouraged internal alerts about high-risk prescription activity.

The settlement

While Walgreens denies liability, it has agreed to the $300 million payment based on its ability to pay. Should the company undergo a sale, merger, or transfer before fiscal year 2032, it will be required to pay an additional $50 million.

“This Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit.”