Justice Department files civil complaint against AmerisourceBergen over opioids

In a civil complaint filed today, the Department of Justice alleges AmerisourceBergen violated federal law in connection with the distribution of controlled substances to pharmacies and other customers across the country, contributing to the prescription opioid epidemic. The complaint alleges that this unlawful conduct resulted in at least hundreds of thousands of violations of the Controlled Substances Act. The Justice Department seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief. The government’s complaint alleges that for years AmerisourceBergen flouted its legal obligations and prioritized profits over the well-being of Americans. If AmerisourceBergen is found liable, it could face escalating civil penalties depending on when each violation occurred and the type of controlled substance at issue, specifically, up to $10,000 for each reporting violation before November 2015, up to $16,864 for each violation between November 2015 and October 2018 and for each violation relating to a suspicious order for a non-opioid controlled substance not reported after October 2018, and up to $109,374 for each violation relating to a suspicious opioid order not reported after October 2018, potentially totaling billions of dollars in penalties, the Justice Department said in a statement. Reference Link