CVS Agrees to Pay $315 Million to Settle Justice Department Case Over Opioid Prescriptions

CVS Pharmacy Inc. and its subsidiaries have agreed to pay $315 million to resolve a Justice Department case alleging the unlawful dispensing of medically unnecessary prescriptions for opioids, according to officials on Tuesday. The settlement addresses a lawsuit filed in 2024, which accused CVS of providing large quantities of opioids and other controlled substances to increase profits at the expense of public health and safety. This case is part of the federal government's ongoing efforts to hold companies accountable for their roles in the U.S. addiction and overdose crisis. Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward stated that the settlement marks a significant milestone in combating the opioid epidemic by targeting pharmacies that unlawfully fulfill prescriptions for controlled substances. CVS stated that its pharmacists are trained in the safe use of medications and have implemented programs to assist in making appropriate decisions for patients. The company disagreed with the lawsuit's claims and noted that the settlement does not imply any admission of wrongdoing. The lawsuit, filed under President Joe Biden's administration, accused CVS of violating the Controlled Substances Act by filling illegitimate prescriptions for high doses of opioids that contributed to dependence and addiction. It was alleged that inadequate staffing and performance metrics led to pharmacists filling prescriptions without verifying their legitimacy. The prescriptions were often billed to Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs. As part of the settlement, CVS is required to implement additional safeguards to ensure that prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances are dispensed only when medically appropriate, according to Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate. Over the past decade, various drugmakers, wholesalers, pharmacies, and other companies have reached settlements with U.S. governments totaling over $50 billion to address the opioid crisis, which has been linked to over 100,000 deaths in some years, although recent numbers have shown a decline. Most settlements have been with state and local governments, but the U.S. has also reached agreements with pharmacies such as Walgreens and Walmart in the past two years.