Overview

• Walgreens will pay $300 million to settle allegations it illegally filled millions of invalid opioid prescriptions and submitted false claims to federal health programs from 2012 to 2023.
• The settlement includes an additional $50 million payment if Walgreens is sold, merged, or transferred before fiscal year 2032.
• Federal prosecutors alleged Walgreens pharmacists filled prescriptions with excessive dosages, early refills, and dangerous drug combinations despite clear red flags.
• The pharmacy chain must implement seven years of compliance measures, including verifying prescription validity, providing annual employee training, and monitoring problematic prescribers.
• Four whistleblowers, whose lawsuits initiated the case, will receive 17.25% of the settlement under the False Claims Act provisions.