Walmart settles US government opioid dispensing lawsuit
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Walmart settled a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit accusing its pharmacies of unlawfully dispensing opioids, the department said on Friday. Terms were not immediately available. The 2020 lawsuit alleged repeated violations of the Controlled Substances Act since 2013.
Key Facts
- The Justice Department sued Walmart in 2020, accusing it of violating the Controlled Substances Act since 2013.
- In 2022, Walmart agreed to pay $3.1 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits by state and local governments over its pharmacies' role in the opioid crisis.
- More than 905,000 people died from opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2025, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- In March 2024, U.S. District Judge Colm Connolly narrowed the case, dismissing claims that Walmart failed to report suspicious prescriptions to the DEA.
Settlement Details
The Justice Department announced the settlement on Friday, stating it resolved allegations that Walmart pharmacies failed to comply with their obligations under the Controlled Substances Act in dispensing opioids and other controlled substances. Walmart said in a statement it was pleased to resolve the matter and would continue supporting its pharmacists' work. Terms of the settlement were not immediately available.
Case Background
The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in 2020, alleging Walmart repeatedly violated the Controlled Substances Act since 2013 and could face billions of dollars in civil penalties. In March 2024, U.S. District Judge Colm Connolly dismissed claims that Walmart failed to report suspicious prescriptions to the Drug Enforcement Administration and that pharmacists failed to document red flags. The judge allowed the government to pursue claims that pharmacists dispensed prescriptions that Walmart compliance personnel knew were invalid.
Opioid Litigation Context
The lawsuit was one of the most significant Justice Department cases against a single company over the opioid epidemic. Other companies targeted included Purdue Pharma, which pleaded guilty to criminal charges in 2020 related to OxyContin, and drug wholesaler Cencora, formerly AmerisourceBergen. In 2022, Walmart agreed to pay $3.1 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits by state and local governments over its pharmacies' role in the opioid crisis. More than 905,000 people died from opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2025, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with annual deaths declining after 2022.
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Walmart settles US government opioid dispensing lawsuit
