Walgreens Liable for Opioid-Fueled Nuisance in San Francisco (2)

Walgreen Co. pharmacies in San Francisco dispensed “hundreds of thousands of red flag opioid prescriptions,” many of which were diverted for illicit use and contributed to the opioid epidemic in the city, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

The company’s practices from 2006 to 2020 failed to give pharmacists sufficient time, staffing, or resources to perform due diligence on prescriptions, Judge Charles R. Breyer said in a 112-page ruling siding with the city. Pharmacists experienced constant pressure to fill prescriptions as quickly as possible, and a shortage of resources to review them before dispensing, he said.

The ruling holds only that ...