Walmart has reached a settlement with the U.S. government over a 2020 lawsuit that accused the retailer of repeatedly violating the Controlled Substances Act, with both sides confirming the agreement but not releasing its terms.
Key facts
- Walmart has settled the U.S. Justice Department's opioid lawsuit.
- The Justice Department's 2020 complaint accused Walmart of repeatedly violating the federal Controlled Substances Act since 2013.
- Both the Justice Department and Walmart confirmed the settlement.
- The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Walmart has reached a settlement with the U.S. government to resolve a lawsuit tied to the nation’s opioid crisis, according to CNBC and Al Jazeera. The retailer and the Justice Department both confirmed the agreement, bringing a close to litigation that had been active since 2020.
The case stemmed from a 2020 complaint in which the Justice Department accused Arkansas-based Walmart of repeatedly violating the federal Controlled Substances Act. According to CNBC, the government said those alleged violations dated back to 2013.
Neither Walmart nor the Justice Department disclosed the terms of the settlement, Al Jazeera reported. As a result, the financial value of the agreement and any accompanying conditions were not made public at the time of the announcement.
The Controlled Substances Act sets federal rules governing how regulated medications, including opioids, are handled and dispensed. The 2020 complaint centered on allegations that Walmart failed to comply with those requirements over a period of years.
Both parties confirmed that a resolution had been reached, according to the reports. The confirmation from the two sides signals an end to the dispute, even as key details remained undisclosed.
Why it matters
Walmart is one of the largest pharmacy operators in the United States, so a settlement over how it handled opioid prescriptions carries significance for the broader debate about corporate accountability in the opioid crisis. Because the terms were not disclosed, the full scope of the resolution and its impact remain unclear.
Frequently asked questions
What was Walmart accused of?
According to CNBC, the Justice Department's 2020 complaint accused Arkansas-based Walmart of repeatedly violating the federal Controlled Substances Act since 2013.
How much did Walmart agree to pay?
The terms of the settlement, including any payment, were not disclosed. Both the Justice Department and Walmart confirmed the settlement without releasing its terms, according to Al Jazeera.
When did the lawsuit begin?
The Justice Department filed its complaint against Walmart in 2020.