CVS to pay $315 million to settle DOJ lawsuit over opioid prescriptions

CVS Pharmacy Inc., along with various subsidiaries, agreed to pay $315 million to settle a Justice Department lawsuit alleging the company illegally dispensed highly addictive opioids that were medically unnecessary, officials said Tuesday. 

The lawsuit was brought in 2024 and accused the pharmacy giant of profiting by providing large amounts of opioids and other controlled substances "at the expense of public health and safety," the Associated Press reported. 

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in a statement to the Associated Press that the settlement represents a "significant milestone in the Justice Department’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic by cracking down on pharmacies who unlawfully fulfill prescriptions for controlled substances." 

The company said in a statement that its pharmacists were trained in the "safe and appropriate use of all medications" and that they made the "best decisions on behalf of patients." The company also said it strongly disagrees with the accusations made in the lawsuit, and the settlement admits no wrongdoing.