CVS Accused of Illegal Opioid Dispensing in Whistleblower Suit

CVS Health Corp. pharmacies illegally dispensed controlled substances including opioids, fueling an overdose crisis as short-staffed stores ignored red flags, the U.S. Department of Justice alleged in a whistleblower lawsuit unsealed Wednesday.

The largest U.S. pharmacy chain deliberately set staffing levels at drugstores too low to safely dispense the prescription medications, according to the complaint filed in federal court in Rhode Island. The company “prioritized profits over safety in dispensing controlled substances,” the civil complaint alleges.

CVS disputed the Justice Department’s allegations. The company has cooperated with the investigation for more than four years, a spokesperson said. Similar litigation by state and local governments was resolved in a 2022 settlement agreement. The federal lawsuit “seeks to impose a shifting standard for pharmacy practice,” the company said in an email.

Top photo: A CVS pharmacy in Miami, Florida, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg.