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US Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero filed suit against AmerisourceBergen Corp., one of America's largest pharmaceutical wholesalers, for allegedly violating federal law regarding opioid distribution.
According to prosecutors, prescription drug sellers have a "longstanding legal obligation" to inform the federal Drug Enforcement Administration "each and every time they receive a suspicious order."
Not only did AmerisourceBergen fail to notify law enforcement, Romero says, it actively fulfilled orders from pharmacies it knew were "likely facilitating" the sale of pills on the black market.
The company has an internal monitoring system to flag potentially suspicious orders, but those safeguards "flagged only a tiny fraction of suspicious orders," authorities said.
Prosecutors alleged that AmerisourceBergen altered those internal processes to flag even fewer orders, and thus "prioritized profits over the well-being of Americans."
If liable, the company could be forced to pay restitution for each individual violation. That figure could reach the billion-dollar mark, Romero says.
“Companies like AmerisourceBergen that sell controlled substances across the country have a significant responsibility to ensure that their product is handled appropriately and that they comply with their federal legal obligations,” the US Attorney wrote.
“The allegations against AmerisourceBergen are disturbing, especially for a company that is headquartered only a few miles from neighborhoods in Philadelphia devastated by the opioid epidemic. This lawsuit sends a strong message to the community that companies who fail to comply with their controlled substance legal obligations will be held accountable.”
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