Pharmacies’ Role in Opioid Epidemic

While opioid manufacturers and distributors play a major role in the opioid epidemic, chain pharmacies such as Publix, Giant Eagle, and others may also be responsible.

The national and regional pharmacy chains may often be more concerned with making profits than they may be about safety. This has led to pharmacists not being supported by the corporate entities with the tools and time they need to evaluate whether opioid prescriptions are fraudulent, not medically necessary, or even deadly. Many pharmacists have even reported being pressured by their employers to fill prescriptions that show signs that they are being diverted or abused, i.e. “red flags.”

Concerns about irresponsible dispensing policies and procedures are not new to these chain pharmacies. News stories in the New York Times have highlighted the pressures pharmacists face and the lack of meaningful compliance with the law. The conduct of pharmacies has not gone unnoticed by regulators and law enforcement. Most recently, DOJ filed criminal charges against Ridley’s Family Markets Pharmacy alleging that the pharmacy dispensed hundreds of forged and fraudulent prescriptions for dangerous opioids.

Baron & Budd Whistleblower Client

In another standout case, Indivior Inc., an opioid manufacturer, paid $600 million as part of a settlement related to criminal and civil charges. The case, brought forward by six whistleblowers represented by Baron & Budd, contended that Indivior knowingly promoted the sale and use of Suboxone, a medication approved to suppress opioid withdrawal symptoms, to physicians who were writing prescriptions that did not have a legitimate medical purpose. The lawsuit also contended that Indivior falsely promoted Suboxone Film as less subject to abuse and that Indivior submitted a false petition to the Food and Drug Administration claiming the Suboxone Tablet was discontinued over safety concerns in order to delay the entry of generic competition of Suboxone.

One of the whistleblowers in the Indivior case, Gail Groves Scott, has since become a leader in public health and addiction policy research. In February 2023, Scott was featured as a TEDx speaker, where she detailed her journey as a pharmaceuticals salesperson who eventually blew the whistle on sales practices that sent patients to doctors who were known to inappropriately prescribe opioids.

How You Can Help

According to the CDC, 232,000 people died in the United States from prescription opioid overdoses from 1999-2018, but you can help prevent these deaths by reporting reckless dispensing practices. Baron & Budd is seeking current or former pharmacists and pharmacy managers who know the dispensing practices and policies of the chain pharmacies and how they supported negligent dispensing practices. National pharmaceutical chains such as Publix, Giant Eagle, and others could be responsible for defrauding the government and aiding in the opioid epidemic.

False Claims Act (FCA)

You should know that you can be compensated for becoming a whistleblower and exposing those companies or individuals who are committing fraud. Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation from their employers by the Federal False Claims Act (FCA). Under this act, whistleblowers cannot be fired, demoted or denied regular benefits in response or retaliation to reporting fraud. Whistleblowers should contact an attorney to ensure protection in these cases.

Our Team

With more than 30 years of experience, the attorneys on Baron & Budd’s whistleblower representation team have represented dozens of clients in government fraud cases returning over $5.4 billion to federal and state agencies, with whistleblower recovery shares as high as 49%. They are ready to help if you feel you have the evidence needed to file a pill mill whistleblower complaint.

Please call (866) 845-2164 or complete our contact form if you would like more information. For more information, see What You Need to Know About Becoming a Whistleblower. Please understand that contacting us does not mean that you have established an attorney-client relationship with Baron & Budd, P.C.