Walmart preemptively sued the DOJ and DEA yesterday in relation to the opioid epidemic. Walmart noted that the DOJ has threatened to sue the company, claiming that its pharmacists should have refused to fill certain opioid prescriptions. Walmart defended its actions (suggesting that pharmacists are not required to interfere with the doctor-patient relationship), and the lawsuit seeks to clarify the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists and pharmacies under the Controlled Substances Act (source).
Extra: Walmart’s lawsuit follows the DOJ’s announcement of a major settlement with Oxycontin-maker Purdue Pharma over its role in the opioid epidemic.
