Justice Department sues Walmart for alleged role in opioid crisis
The Justice Department on Tuesday sued Walmart, claiming lax oversight in its pharmacies helped fuel the opioid epidemic.
In one of the Trump administration's last shots at big-name facilitators of opioid abuse across the U.S., the DOJ alleged Walmart understaffed its pharmacies to cut costs, The Wall Street Journal reports. In turn, overworked pharmacy staffers didn't catch invalid or otherwise problematic opioid prescriptions they shouldn't have filled, the suit alleges.
While big pharmaceutical companies pressured doctors to dole out painkillers and controlled substances, pharmacies are expected to refuse to fill questionable prescriptions. But understaffing allegedly made this impossible in Walmart's more than 5,000 pharmacies. And as Jason Dunn, the U.S. attorney in Colorado, put it, "Walmart's pharmacies ordered opioids in a way that went essentially unmonitored and unregulated," violating the Controlled Substances Act as early as mid-2013.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Walmart had been expecting these charges, and sought to fend them off preemptively with its own lawsuit against the Justice Department in October. Walmart blamed the DOJ's alleged lack of oversight for fueling the opioid epidemic, and sought a reprieve from a judge from any future DOJ lawsuit.
The Trump DOJ had previously settled a massive lawsuit with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma over its role in the opioid crisis. Hundreds of thousands of people have died from opioid overdoses over the past 20 years. While those numbers have decreased over the past few years, experts give the administration's handling of the crisis mixed reviews.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 7, 2024
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - a narrow escape, no contest, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Marbella Club at 70
The Blend A repeat guest admires the famed Spanish retreat's remarkable staying power
By Nick Foulkes Published
-
A bite-sized history of the canapé
The Blend Auguste Escoffier, who ran kitchens at The Savoy in London and The Ritz in Paris, set the standard for the modern canapé
By Simon Mills Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US economy still strong in final preelection report
Speed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strike
Speed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ports reopen after dockworkers halt strike
Speed Read The 36 ports that closed this week, from Maine to Texas, will start reopening today
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published