Report: Walgreens agrees to $7.5 million fine for improper vetting

Walgreens is reportedly settling a case involving alleged illegal dispensing of prescriptions.

According to the Associated Press, Walgreens has agreed to pay $7.5 million in penalties, costs and remedial payments to settle a consumer protection action filed against it by the California counties of Santa Clara and Alameda. The action was filed in response to charges brought against former Walgreens employee Kim Thien Le.

Le, who worked at Walgreens stores in those counties between 2006 and 2017, is accused of misusing the license numbers of registered pharmacists to illegally fill more than 745,00 prescriptions, including more than 100,000 scripts for opioids. Le, who allegedly did not have her own license, has pled not guilty to criminal charges of impersonating a pharmacist.

The complaint against Walgreens alleged the drugstore giant did not properly vet Le’s credentials or ensure its internal systems to prevent this type of fraud worked properly. 

“Pharmacy quality and safety are top priorities, and upon learning of this issue, we undertook a re-verification of the licenses of all our pharmacists nationwide,” Walgreens said in a statement.

Read the full article here.