In a legal complaint brought forth by the Department of Justice, CVS Pharmacy Inc. and its subsidiaries are accused of illicitly dispensing large volumes of opioids and other controlled substances, allegedly prioritizing profit over public health and safety.
The lawsuit contends that CVS, the largest pharmacy chain in the United States, knowingly issued suspicious prescriptions for controlled substances, including substantial quantities of opioids and combinations known as "trinity cocktails," which consist of an opioid, a benzodiazepine, and a muscle relaxant.
U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha for the District of Rhode Island stated, "This lawsuit suggests CVS neglected its vital responsibility as a gatekeeper for hazardous prescription opioids, instead enabling the illegal spread of these highly addictive drugs, including through pill mill prescribers."
The Department of Justice accuses CVS of disregarding critical warning signs and allegedly coercing pharmacists to expedite prescription filling without legitimate assessment of their authenticity, rather than ensuring public safety.
Amy Thibault, CVS's director of external communications, defended the company, asserting, "Each of the prescriptions in question involved an FDA-approved opioid medication prescribed by practitioners whom the government itself has licensed and permitted to issue controlled substance prescriptions."
The lawsuit further claims that CVS overlooked internal expert recommendations and pharmacy evidence, failing to implement essential compliance measures due to concerns that these actions might decelerate the prescription filling process and increase labor expenses.
Additionally, CVS faces allegations of violating the False Claims Act by seeking reimbursement from federal healthcare programs for questionable prescriptions. Should CVS be found liable, it could incur civil penalties for each unlawful prescription filled, as well as additional sanctions for the alleged illegal practices.
In a written statement, Thibault declared, "We will vigorously defend ourselves against this misguided federal lawsuit, which trails years of litigation over these issues by state and local governments — claims that have largely been resolved through a global agreement with the participating state Attorneys General."
The material has been provided by InstaForex Company -
www.instaforex.com
