DOJ sues CVS, alleging it filled unlawful prescriptions
FOX Business’ Lauren Simonetti has the details on Varney & Co.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a civil complaint in federal court alleging that CVS Pharmacy filled illegal prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and False Claims Act (FCA).
The government’s complaint targets the nation’s largest pharmaceutical company, which has more than 9,000 stores nationwide, alleging that it “knowingly filled prescriptions for controlled substances that had no legitimate medical purpose, were not valid, and/or were not dispensed in the ordinary course of professional practice.” :
The DOJ alleges that the pharma giant continued its illegal practices from October 17, 2013 to the present.
The Justice Department alleged that CVS carried excessive and dangerous amounts of opioids. early opioid refills and “trinity prescriptions” illegal.
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The lawsuit alleges that CVS Health filled illegal prescriptions. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images/Getty Images)
“Trinity prescriptions” are a combination of prescription drugs that include an opioid, a benzodiazepine, and a muscle relaxant.
The complaint also alleges that CVS filled prescriptions written by prescribers it knew were engaged in “pill compounding practices,” which occurs when prescribers dispense large quantities of drugs without any medical of purpose.
“According to the complaint, CVS ignored substantial evidence from multiple sources, including its own pharmacists and internal data, showing that its stores were dispensing illegal prescriptions,” the DOJ said.
Pills of the opioid hydrocodone in a pharmacy in Portsmouth, Ohio, on June 21, 2017. (Reuters/Bryan Woolston/File Photo/Reuters)
It Department of Justice Accuses CVS of violating acts related to performance measurement, compensation incentives and personnel policies.
“CVS set staffing levels too low to enable pharmacists to both meet their performance standards and meet their legal obligations,” the complaint states.
It also withheld important information from pharmacists that could have prevented the number of illegal prescriptions, the DOJ alleges.
The DOJ also alleged that CVS contributed to the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States through its malpractice.
“This lawsuit alleges that CVS failed to fulfill its important role as a custodian of dangerous prescription opioids and instead facilitated the illegal distribution of these highly addictive drugs, including by pill prescribers,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha.
“When corporations like CVS make a profit over patient safety and overburden their pharmacy staff so they can’t fulfill the basic responsibility of ensuring that prescriptions are legitimate, we will use every tool at our disposal to see that they they will answer for that,” he said.
The DOJ said CVS could be subject to civil penalties for each illegal prescription filled in violation of the CSA, penalties for each prescription filled by federal health plans, and injunctive relief to prevent CVS from committing further violations. for
CVS Pharmacy (Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images/Getty Images)
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokeswoman CVS Pharmacy said CVS officials “strongly disagree” with the allegations and the “false narrative” presented by the DOJ.
| Ladies | Security | Last: | Change | change % |
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| CVS: | CVS HEALTH CORP. | 59.08: | -0.77 |
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“We have cooperated with the DOJ’s investigation for more than four years, and we strongly disagree with the allegations and false story in this complaint,” the company said to years of litigation by states and local governments over these issues, claims that have already been largely resolved by a global settlement with participating state attorneys general.
“The government’s lawsuit seeks to set a changing standard for pharmaceutical practice. Many of the litigation theories set forth in the complaint are not found in any statute or regulation and address topics on which the government has declined to provide guidance,” CVS added to each of the prescriptions FDA-approved opioid medication prescribed by a practitioner who has been licensed, authorized and authorized by the government to write prescriptions for controlled substances”.
A sign for the Food and Drug Administration outside its headquarters on July 20, 2020 in White Oak, Md. (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images/Getty Images)
A spokesperson for CVS Pharmacy pointed to its history as an industry leader in developing ways to combat the opioid crisis.
“For example, 12 years ago, CVS Pharmacy was the first of its kind to block prescriptions for controlled substances written by potentially concerned physicians. To date, we’ve blocked more than 1,250 practitioners, including nearly 600 prescribers. The government continues.” is licensing,” CVS said.
“This program is not required by any statute or regulation, and CVS Health has repeatedly defended lawsuits from those who claim we are going too far in blocking opioid prescribers.
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“The government’s lawsuit exacerbates a serious dilemma for pharmacists, who are simultaneously in second place for dispensing too many opioids and too few.”
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