CVS busted for meth role
October 15, 2010
US pharmacy giant CVS has
been slapped with a whopping
US$77.6 million fine after it was
busted by authorities for
inadequately monitoring the sale of
products containing
pseudoephedrine.
The largest operator of retail
pharmacies within the US, CVS
was found guilty of failing to
monitor the sales of particular cold
and flu medications between 2007
and 2008, and in turn aiding
methamphetamine drug
manufacturers in Las Vegas and
California to produce large amounts
of the drug for illegal sales.
The fine, agreed to as part of a
compliance deal stuck between by
prosecutors and CVS, represents
the largest ever civil suit to be paid
under the US’ Controlled Substances
act, and comprises of a $75m fine
and $2.6m in forfeited profits.
Whilst the fine is hefty, the deal
has seen the pharmacy giant able
CVS busted for meth role
to avoid criminal charges.
“This case shows what happens
when companies fail to follow their
ethical and legal responsibilities,”
said U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr.
“CVS knew it had a duty to
prevent methamphetamine
trafficking, but it failed to take
steps to control the sale of a
regulated drug used by
methamphetamine cooks as an
essential ingredient for their
poisonous stew,” said Birotte Jr.
A statement from CVS has
accepted responsibility for what the
company is calling an
“unacceptable breach of the
company’s policies [that is] to
totally inconsistent [with its] values”.
“CVS/pharmacy is unwavering in
its support of the measures taken
by the federal government and the
states to prevent drug abuse,” said
the pharmacy giant’s ceo, Thomas
Ryan.
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