On Wednesday, the Justice Department unsealed a civil complaint alleging that CVS Pharmacy Inc. and its subsidiaries filled “unlawful” prescriptions, violating the federal Controlled Substances Act and contributing to the opiate crisis that killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.
The complaint also accuses CVS of seeking reimbursement from federal healthcare programs for these illicit prescriptions, in violation of the False Claims Act.
The DOJ claims that since October 2013, CVS knowingly filled prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, including “dispensing massive quantities of opioids”, early fills, and dangerous “trinity” prescriptions—combinations of opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants. CVS is also accused of filling prescriptions from “pill mill” doctors—those who issue large volumes…
