Walgreens, a prominent pharmacy chain with over 8,000 locations, is facing legal action from the U.S. Justice Department for allegedly filling millions of prescriptions without a legitimate purpose over the past decade. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, claims that Walgreens pharmacists dispensed controlled substances, including dangerous amounts of opioids, despite clear red flags indicating potential unlawfulness.
The complaint alleges that Walgreens pressured pharmacists to fill prescriptions without verifying their validity, leading to violations of the federal Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act. The company is accused of seeking reimbursement from federal health care programs for these 'unlawful' prescriptions.
