Overview

• Walgreens Boots Alliance has agreed to pay $300 million to settle allegations it filled invalid opioid and controlled-substance prescriptions and illegally billed Medicare and other federal programs.
• The settlement includes a $50 million contingent payment if Walgreens is sold or merges before fiscal year 2032, and the company must also pay interest on the settlement amount.
• The Department of Justice alleged Walgreens filled prescriptions with 'egregious red flags,' including high dosages, early refills, and dangerous drug combinations from 2013 to 2023.
• Walgreens will implement new policies requiring pharmacists to verify the validity of controlled-substance prescriptions before filling them, addressing concerns over past practices.
• The case originated from 2018 whistleblower lawsuits, with whistleblowers entitled to 17.25% of the settlement under the False Claims Act.