Reuters
@Reuters
US sues Rite Aid for missing opioid red flags http://reut.rs/3yFYtWs
7:30 PM · Mar 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1635423123867590657
Great Job, DOJ!!!
US sues Rite Aid for missing opioid red flags
By Jonathan Stempel
https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-files-complaint-alleging-rite-aid-violated-law-dispensing-certain-drugs-doj-2023-03-13/?taid=640fb20304edcf000188d8d0&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter
WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Monday sued Rite Aid Corp (RAD.N), accusing the pharmacy chain of missing "red flags" as it illegally filled hundreds of thousands of prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids.
In a complaint filed in Cleveland federal court, the Department of Justice said Rite Aid repeatedly filled prescriptions from May 2014 to June 2019 that were medically unnecessary, for off-label use, or not issued in the usual course of professional practice.
"The Justice Department is using every tool at our disposal to confront the opioid epidemic that is killing Americans and shattering communities across the country," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
Rite Aid pharmacists were accused of ignoring obvious signs of misuse, including in prescriptions for "trinities," a combination of opioids, benzodiazepine, and muscle relaxants preferred by drug abusers for their increased euphoric effect.
The Justice Department also said Rite Aid intentionally deleted some pharmacists' internal warnings about suspicious prescribers, such as "cash only pill mill???", while admonishing them to "be mindful of everything that is put in writing."
"These practices opened the floodgates for millions of opioid pills and other controlled substances to flow illegally out of Rite Aid's stores," Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said.
Rite Aid is one of the country's largest pharmacy chains, with more than 2,330 stores in 17 U.S. states. It did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Justice Department accused Rite Aid of violating the federal False Claims Act by submitting false prescription claims to government healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
It joined a whistleblower lawsuit filed in 2019 by two pharmacists and a pharmacy technician from Rite Aid stores in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and West Virginia.
The Justice Department occasionally joins whistleblower cases it considers stronger.
It has also sued Walmart Inc (WMT.N) and drug distributor AmerisourceBergen Corp (ABC.N) over their alleged roles in the nation's opioid crisis.
More than 500,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States from 1999 to 2020, including more than 90,000 in 2020 alone, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The case is U.S. ex rel White et al v Rite Aid Corp et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, No. 21-01239.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Eric Beech in Washington; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Stephen Coates
Jaden Jefferson
@Jaden_Reports
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell discharged from hospital after fall, will recover at inpatient facility.
7:26 PM · Mar 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/Jaden_Reports/status/1635422217357131777
Jaden Jefferson
@Jaden_Reports
"At the advice of his physician, the next step will be a period of physical therapy at an inpatient rehabilitation facility before he returns home."
apnews.com
McConnell released from hospital, headed to inpatient rehab
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was released from the hospital Monday after treatment for a concussion and will continue to recover in an inpatient rehabilitation facility,…
7:40 PM · Mar 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/Jaden_Reports/status/1635425513928814594
Washington Examiner
@dcexaminer
Biden says Florida's transgender policies are 'close to sinful'
washingtonexaminer.com
Biden says Florida's transgender policies are 'close to sinful'
President Joe Biden waded into the contentious debate over transgender policies, describing Florida's policies on the matter as "close to sinful."
7:22 PM · Mar 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/dcexaminer/status/1635421195649576960
PatriotTakes 🇺🇸
@patriottakes
There was a fire at Mar-a-Lago this weekend.
11:13 AM · Mar 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1635297976187772928
Have y'all's take home pay gone up since Joe became President? Mine has…but the high prices kill it.
Breaking911
@Breaking911
BIDEN: "Take-home pay for workers is going up, especially for lower and middle-income workers."
2:25 PM · Mar 13, 2023
https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1635346447439896577
Actually, to kind of pin point it…. it's gone up since being forced to take the vaccine I noticed.
I witnessed the "savior" anon getting on to. Ha! Only one I've been able to catch. They are hard for me to spot.